The Lost Queen
by The Lady of the Mists
Summary: Another girl was sent to Narnia with the Pevensies. Their next door neighbour and Peter's best friend. How will everything change by her presence? And will Narnia gain a High Queen?
1. Escaping to the Country

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter One: Escaping to the Country 

Anna Larson was fast asleep, in her room, dreaming of another world. It was a world quite different from this one, filled with mystical creatures and talking animals . . . and they bowed down before her as though she were royalty. Her friends, the Pevensies, were there with her, all of them wearing clothes in medieval fashion and carrying weapons.

Without warning, she heard alarms sounding, ripping her from her dreams and she blinked up at her ceiling as she crawled out of bed, pulling open the windows to see the city under attack, bombs falling from the sky as they had been for months, ever since the raids began. Anna moved quickly around her room, throwing a coat over her nightdress and grabbing the bag that she kept for emergencies before navigating her way out of her room and through the house, hurrying for her mother's room.

She never made it. Elizabeth Larson appeared in the middle of the hallway, her normally beautiful face twisted in annoyance as they looked towards her daughter. "What are you holding everything up for?" she demanded angrily as she strode towards her, grabbing hold of her arm and hauling her out of the house. "Come on, before you get us all killed."

Anna winced as she was dragged along. For years it had always been this way, her mother treating her like she was some kind of annoyance and a bother. Her father had laughed this all away, treating her as a golden princess whenever he was home. But that was all gone now. Her father was with Mr. Pevensie at war and there hadn't been word from him for months. They had no idea whether or not he was even still alive. Anna feared for his life, terrified that he was going to leave her all alone.

Anna glanced towards her mother as they raced out of the house, heading towards the bomb shelter that they shared with the Pevensies. She was a mixture of both of her parents. Her mother was tall and fair with bright vivid blue eyes, which Anna had inherited, but her hair was long, straight blonde hair. Her father was tall and handsome, with auburn hair that was the same shade as his daughter's, though hers hung in waves around her face, circling her small and fluid form. She possessed the air of a girl who was much cleverer than a girl of twelve.

"Helen!" Mrs. Larson hollered, pounding on the bomb shelter door. It was thrown open and Anna scrambled in after her mother, slamming the door closed behind them and locking it securely. The rest of the Pevensie family was already there: the mother Helen, the eldest Peter, Anna's best friend whom she was secretly in love with, the eldest daughter Susan, Edmund the younger brother, and the youngest Lucy.

"Anna!" Susan said in relief as she hurried to hug the redheaded girl, pulling her over to sit down next to her and Lucy, who was crying from the sound of the bombs echoing overhead. "Thank goodness! We were worried sick. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Anna assured her as she cast a quick glance towards Peter, who was watching her carefully. He gave her a small, relieved smile before he turned around to help his mother pass out blankets and some food.

Anna accepted the blanket he handed her gratefully as Susan draped one around her now sleeping sister. "Thank you, Peter," she told him.

"You're welcome. You should get some sleep," he told her as he stood up. "It's going to be a long night."

"I couldn't sleep right now anyway, even if I tried," Anna admitted as she curled up onto the bed, hugging her knees tightly. Susan was lying down by this time, still awake but starting to fall asleep. Peter glanced at her before helping Anna stand up and walk away from the others, far enough so that they could talk without disturbing the others.

Peter was glancing towards the other end of the shelter, towards the sleeping form of his brother. "I yelled at Ed earlier for going back into the house for Dad's picture," he confessed.

"Why'd you do that?"

"I don't know . . . my temper just got the better of me, I suppose. Why can't he just do as he's told?" he sighed as he ran a hand through his blond hair. "He just risked his life for—"

"But it's all that he's got left of your father, Peter," Anna pointed out. "Edmund's always been reckless, you and I both know that, but he's just ten years old. And I can remember another boy who didn't always do what he was told when he was that age," she added with a small smile. Peter grinned, obviously knowing who she was talking about. "Look on the bright side. Tomorrow, the five of us will be getting on the train and into the country, where we'll be safe. Maybe away from this war, things will be better."

"Maybe," Peter sighed.

"They will," Anna assured him, placing her small hand on top of his slightly larger one. "You have to have a little faith, Peter." She smiled up at him and he grinned back, about to say something when his mother came over and ordered them to bed, making no room for argument as Anna headed back over to the bed where Lucy and Susan were already asleep and crawled onto the crowded bed while Peter joined Edmund on the top bunk.

She glanced up above her, where the two boys were laying before she curled up onto the bed, closing her eyes. But this time when she fell asleep, no pleasant dreams of mystical animals plagued her dreams this time. Instead, her father hovered in and out of sight, never speaking.

--

It was late in the evening when the bombs finally stopped falling, but none of them were awake to hear the all clear alarms that went off at four in the morning. When Anna was shaken awake by Mrs. Pevensie, it was morning and all through the streets of Finchley, they could see the ruinations that the bombs had caused. Worst of all was the tree house that her father had built when she was a child; it now lay in shambles in the backyard.

As she walked up the stairs to her bedroom to finish packing before they had to leave for the train, Anna stopped at the picture of her and her father sitting outside of the house, all smiles and laughing. Before everything had changed . . . before the war had started.

"I miss you, Daddy," she whispered as she picked up the frame and stared down at her father. "Where are you?" She knew that her father wouldn't wait so long without sending word . . . not unless something was wrong. Not unless he was in some kind of trouble.

With a small sigh, Anna headed back up to her bedroom, carrying the picture with her and slipped it into her bag. Her mother would never even notice it missing, anyway. Checking to make sure that she had everything with her, Anna shut the lid on the suitcase, fastening the latches securely before she picked up her coat, heading downstairs where her mother was flipping through the newspaper, a cup of tea in her hand.

Without even looking up, Mrs. Larson passed her the tickets for the train. "Everything's there," she said crisply. "Don't lose anything, because I am not going to be held responsible for what happens then. Helen's going to be taking you with her load of children." Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the thought of the Pevensies.

Anna was crestfallen as she stared at what people said was once a warm, thoughtful, kind woman. "Aren't you going to see me off?" she queried and received a disgusted look in reply.

"Why would I want to do that?" she snarled before looking down at the paper once again.

Fighting the tears that welded up in her eyes, Anna slowly picked up the tickets and papers before walking out the backdoor, heading towards the Pevensie house, where Peter was loading his and Edmund's suitcases into the trunk of the car.

"Got room for another suitcase?" she asked, in a vain attempt to make herself think of something else besides the woman who she was supposed to call 'Mother.'

Of course, Peter, always perceptive, saw right through her attempt and frowned worriedly at her. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Anna said quietly.

Peter stared at her for a moment before looking towards the Larson house, a hint of anger in his blue eyes. "Your mum's not coming?" he asked sharply and she shook her head. He looked for a minute like he was going to say something, but decided against it. "I'll take care of this. Why don't you go see if Susan or Lucy needs any help?"

Anna nodded, grateful for him trying to get her mind off of her mother as she headed into the house, climbing up the stairs that led to his sisters' room. "Are you two nearly ready?" she asked, amused as she saw Susan and Lucy trying fruitlessly to get Lucy's suitcase closed. "Your mum says that it's nearly time to go."

Eventually, the sisters managed to get Lucy's trunk closed—although Lucy had to carry her teddy bear with her, which she was all too happy to do—and the three girls headed downstairs to carry the last two suitcases downstairs and into the car. Mrs. Pevensie was collecting their tickets and making sure that she had all of the papers before they climbed into the car.

It didn't take very long for them to ride to the train station, but the crowd of people waiting to get their children in line to take them to the country was unbelievable. When they were finally able to get through, there was only a few minutes left. Mrs. Pevensie was pinning the passport that told the train masters where to take them onto Lucy as Anna pinned her own to her coat.

"You need to keep this on, darling, all right?" she said to Lucy. "You warm enough? Good girl," she said as she adjusted Lucy's coat. Anna watched the exchange longingly as Peter placed a hand on her shoulder, lending her his strength and affection.

"If Dad were here, he wouldn't make us go!" Edmund burst out.

"If Dad were here, it would mean the war was over and we wouldn't have to go," Peter pointed out. Edmund only glared at his brother, barely even acknowledging his mother as she asked him to please listen to Peter when they were in the country and turned away when she tried to hug him goodbye.

Anna was surprised when Mrs. Pevensie hugged her tightly. "I'll keep a watch for word of your father," she promised, "and send word if I hear anything."

"Thank you," Anna whispered as she pulled away from the embrace. They both knew that her mother wouldn't even bother to tell her anything even if she did hear something. For whatever the reason, Anna was glad to be away from her mother, even if it was only for a little while. "Goodbye, Mrs. Pevensie."

"Goodbye, dearest." Mrs. Pevensie watched them as they navigated their way through the crowds towards their train.

Anna watched as the city life disappeared behind them and they began to see the country. Eventually, Anna took out a book and read to Lucy, who was getting bored by this time. Thankfully, she'd remembered to pack her book of fairy tales, her father's last gift to her.

Late in the afternoon, the train finally made their stop and they climbed off of the train to a small platform on the countryside, with no one around to be seen for miles, save for a car that passed them by without glancing at them.

"The Professor knew that we were coming," Susan reasoned as Edmund looked down at his identification.

"Perhaps we've been incorrectly labelled," he said thoughtfully.

"Or maybe they're just a little bit late," Anna said reasonably. "I'm sure his housekeeper will be here soon. What was her name again?"

Peter was about to answer her when they heard the sound of hooves and a horse carrying a wagon manoeuvred by a sharp looking woman. Anna's first impression was that this was a woman not to cross. She pulled the horse to a stop next to them and Peter looked nervously up at her. "Mrs. McCready?" he guessed and she nodded.

"I'm afraid so," she answered, her sharp gaze looking over all of them. "Is this it, then? Haven't you brought anything else?"

"No, ma'am," Peter answered, glancing towards his eldest sister and Anna. "It's just us."

She gave a small sniff. "Small favours," she mused before letting them on board. Peter helped the girls up into the wagon while Edmund walked into the corner sulkily.

The house that they were taken to was old and large and mysterious. As it came into view, Anna had the distinct impression that this old mansion had held a secret within it. A secret that they were bound to discover while they were here.

If only she could have known what the secret was . . .

If only she could have known that one wardrobe led to another world . . .

If only she could have known the fantastic and wondrous adventure that they would lead just by stepping through the wardrobe . . . and that the adventure of a lifetime would lead them to their destinies.


	2. The Magical Land

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Two: The Magical Land

As luck would have it, rain was pouring down the next day, making any attempts at having any fun outside impossible. They were left to play inside and as Mrs. McCready had warned them yesterday, they were not to touch any of the historical relics that were in the house or disturb the Professor, so their options were limited. Unfortunately, this led to Susan suggesting a dictionary game, making them even more bored than they already were.

Anna was practically relieved when Lucy suggested playing hide-and-seek. Besides, in this big a house, it was bound to be more fun than it had been in their backyard. As Peter counted to a hundred, she hurried through the house to find an ideal hiding place, finally securing a place for herself inside a closet in one of the empty bedrooms. She took a seat on the floor and listened carefully for any noise outside of the room. Peter was still counting, she found out as she listened. He was close to a hundred now . . .

Just as he finished counting, Anna heard Lucy suddenly shout, "I'm all right! It's all right, I'm back!"

Bewildered as to what she was talking about, Anna climbed out of the closet and followed the commotion to one of the upstairs hallways, where Peter, Edmund, and Lucy were talking. Susan was walking up behind Peter as she arrived.

"What's going on?" Anna asked.

"I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore," Peter answered as Anna noticed the bewildered look on Lucy's face. Wondering what had happened and why Lucy seemed so confused as to why everyone was looking at her like she was crazy, Anna crouched down to her level.

"Lucy, what's going on?" she asked kindly.

"I've—I've been gone for hours," Lucy explained, looking towards her siblings and launching into a story about a frozen wood in the wardrobe she'd found and a faun called Mr. Tumnus and a queen who'd placed the world called Narnia into an eternal winter.

"Where's this wardrobe?" Anna asked her and they followed Lucy into one of the rooms, where a large and impressive wardrobe sat alone in the room. Susan boldly knocked on the inside of the wardrobe while Edmund knocked on the outside, but there was nothing inside. Even Anna, who had always believed in the existence in other worlds, had to admit that there was nothing in the wardrobe, but nor did she disbelieve Lucy. The girl was only eight, but she was no liar.

Finally, Susan turned to her sister. "Lucy, the only wood in here is the back of the wardrobe," she told her.

"One game at a time, Lu," Peter said, trying to put light on the situation. "We don't all have your imagination."

"But I wasn't imagining!" Lucy protested as they walked towards the door, excluding Anna.

Susan turned around to face the younger girl, her dark hair swinging into her face. "That's enough, Lucy."

"I wouldn't lie about this!"

Edmund had his joking face on as he spoke. "Well, I believe you," he commented. Lucy's face lit up before Edmund grinned towards Anna and the two eldest Pevensies. "Didn't I tell you about the football field that I found in the bathroom cupboard?"

"Ed, enough," Anna told him, seeing Lucy's crestfallen expression. Did the boy have to make everything a big joke?

"Oh, will you just stop?" Peter snapped at his brother, practically reading Anna's thoughts. "You just have to make everything worse, don't you? When are you going to grow up?"

Bad choice of words, Anna thought as she watched as the fight erupted between the siblings.

"Shut up!" Edmund yelled into Peter's face. "You think that you're Dad, but you're not!"

He stormed from the room, leaving Susan to turn to Peter in aggravation. "Well, that was nicely handed," she told him as she went after Edmund. Now only Anna and the eldest and youngest Pevensies were left in the room.

Lucy was the first one to speak. "But . . . it really _was_ there," she insisted, looking from her brother to his best friend desperately. Anna glanced at Peter, who regarded her warily.

"Susan's right, Lucy," he finally said before leaving the room. "That's enough."

Anna sighed, running her hands through her auburn hair as she walked over to Lucy, wrapping an arm around her as she led her away from the wardrobe, casting a glance at it over her shoulder. "I believe you."

Looking up at her in delight, Lucy asked, "You do?"

"Yeah, I do," she answered with a smile down at her. "There's something mysterious about this place, I've known that since I first laid eyes on it. Besides, you're no liar. Don't see any reason why that should change now. Don't worry about the others," she told her. "They'll come around. If you found the way in once, you should be able to do it again."

"Why could we find the way in this time?" Lucy asked her as they rounded the corner.

"I don't know, Lu, maybe it only works when you're not looking for it or maybe it calls to you in its desperate need," Anna said, frowning. "I think we'll all find the way in one day, Lucy. Just be patient."

--

Needless to say, the rest of the day was a joy to be around. Anna had found her way to the library and was going through the Professor's assortment of books when Peter found her, going through one of the many classics as he leaned against the shelves. She knew, without even looking up, that he was there.

"You're going to turn them against you, Peter Pevensie," she told him as she closed the book and replaced it onto the shelf, turning to look at her best friend in annoyance. "Edmund may not be right about a lot of stuff, but he is right when he said that you're not your father. You're their brother and that's never going to change. Maybe it's time you started acting like it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that your family is being torn apart right in front of your eyes, but you four are too busy bickering to even realise it. The war isn't just happening out there, Peter—there's one raging inside of this house, in between you and your siblings. You have got to stop acting like you're in charge of everything, because you're not. Like it or not, you're just . . . you're only thirteen," she said, thinking it better not to say he was a child, because none of them were really children anymore. Not yet adults, but they had grown out of the childhood that Lucy was still in. "Peter, you're my best friend and that's never going to change. But things have got to start changing around here if you want to make things better with your family."

Peter stared at her for a long moment before he looked down, deep shame evident in his eyes. "It's hard," he admitted as he sat down. "I don't know what I'm doing, it just . . . it comes out and then it's too late to take it back. Dad always knew what to do."

"Nobody is asking you to be your father," Anna pointed out as she sat down next to him, placing her hand on his arm. "Personally, I like you the way that you are. You're Peter Pevensie and you have one of the biggest, best hearts of anyone that I've ever met. Maybe it's time you started using that to decide what's best for your family, because things are going to get steadily worse before they get better around here."

Peter glance up at her with a small smile. "How come you always know exactly what to say?"

"It's a gift," Anna laughed. "Now come on, let's go find the others. I'm sure that Mrs. McCready is going to be calling us down for supper any moment, anyway."

--

_Anna stood in the middle of a field of lilies, the fragrance lifting up onto her as she looked around at her surroundings. _

_And then she heard it . . . a voice drifting in and out of hearing rang before it came back to hear, trying to reach her. "Anna . . ." it was whispering over and over again. Her heart rose at the sound of it. "Anna . . . my little lily flower . . . Anna . . ." _

_"Dad!" Anna yelled, trying to find the source of her father's voice. "Daddy, I'm here! Daddy!" She looked all around her, but there was no sign of where the voice was coming from, nor where he was. "Daddy, where are you?" _

_"I'm with you," her father's voice whispered in her ear and she turned around, but he wasn't there. "I'll always be with you, my lily flower, even when you can't see me. . . ." _

_"No, wait, Dad!" Anna tried in vain to find him, but there was no sign of where he was. "Daddy, please . . . I want to go with you!" _

_"No, my daughter, it's not time for you yet. Your destiny lies upon a different path than mine." Anna frowned at his meaning, but there was no sign of where her father was. "Find that small bit of happiness for yourself, Anna . . . and never let it go. You never know when you're going to lose it." _

_"Dad!" _

"Peter! Peter, wake up!" Anna was ripped from her dreams when she heard voices in the bedroom next to the one she shared with Lucy and Susan, who was also woken by the noise. The voice, she realised, was Lucy's. "It's there! It's really there!"

Grabbing her robe, Anna followed Susan into the boys' bedroom, where Lucy was looking excited. Peter had just woken up, so he was still half-asleep, but Edmund, she noticed, was wide-awake and nervous.

"Lucy, what are you talking about?" Peter mumbled.

"Narnia!" Lucy exclaimed, practically bouncing up and down on the bed due to her excitement. Her brown eyes were glowing with delight at her return to the magical land that she had encountered. "It's all in the wardrobe, like I told you!"

Susan sighed as she walked over to her sister. "You've just been dreaming, Lucy."

"But I haven't!" Lucy insisted triumphantly. "I saw Mr. Tumnus again! And this time, Edmund went too!" Anna's blue eyes travelled over to where Edmund was standing, rooted on the spot by Lucy's declaration. His two older siblings had turned their attention to him.

"You . . . you saw the faun?" Peter asked him, trying to clarify what Lucy was saying. He seemed to have woken up a bit.

Edmund shook his head and for once, it seemed like he was telling the truth as Lucy stood up. "Well . . . he didn't _actually_ go in there with me. He . . ." She paused, turning to look at her brother curiously. "What _were_ you doing, Edmund?"

"I was just playing along," Edmund said smoothly. He looked apologetically at his brother. "I'm sorry, Peter. I know you said not to encourage her, but you know how little children are these days. They just don't know when to stop pretending," he said to Lucy's dejected face.

"Lucy!" Anna called as the youngest Pevensie burst into tears and fled from the room.

Giving Peter a look, Anna hurried after Lucy, Peter and Susan right behind her, but stopped when she saw the old man that had appeared in the hallway, whom Lucy had her arms around and was sobbing into his chest.

Mrs. McCready had arrived by that time and the Professor sent Lucy with her to get some hot chocolate before taking them into the office for a chat. "You seem to upset the delicate internal imbalance of my housekeeper," he commented as he lit his pipe.

"We're very sorry, sir," Peter said apologetically. "It won't happen again." He tried to drag the two girls away, but Susan held her ground, turning towards the Professor.  
"It's our sister, sir, Lucy."

"The weeping girl."

"She's very upset."

"Hence the weeping."

"It's nothing that we can't handle," Peter insisted as he tried, once again, to drag Susan away.

"She thinks she's found a magical land," Susan said, pulling her arm away from her brother. "In the upstairs wardrobe." This immediately got the Professor's attention and they told him about the land that Lucy had found. Anna was supremely interested when she discovered that the Professor seemed to believe Lucy's story.

"You're saying that we should just . . . believe her?" Peter finally asked, looking at the Professor.  
"She's your sister, isn't she? You're her family. You might want to start acting like one."

Peter glanced at Anna, who looked back at him. That had been exactly what she had been trying to point out earlier. Lucy was no liar and she wasn't crazy either. But her friends were so badly broken apart that Anna wondered if they could ever be fully mended.


	3. Into Narnia

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Three: Into Narnia

The next day was bright and sunny and the grass shone, like it only did after a good rainstorm. In an attempt to get everyone's minds off of the wardrobe and the magical land Lucy had found, Susan had suggested a game of cricket. Lucy had opted herself out, not in the mood to play with her siblings when they didn't believe her about Narnia. Anna chose to watch instead of play, considering that sports weren't exactly her forte.

She sat with Lucy, watching the game from a spot from beside some trees, leaning against it as Peter pitched the ball to Edmund, who wasn't paying attention to the game. "Whoops!" Peter said cheerfully. "Wake up, Dolly Daydream!"

"Why can't we play hide and seek again?" Edmund asked, rubbing the spot where Peter had hit him as Susan threw another ball to Peter. Lucy ignored Edmund's jest towards her, staring determinedly down at Anna's fairy tale book.

"I thought you said it was a kid's game," Peter pointed out as he tossed the ball in between his hands.

"Besides," Susan pointed out with a smile, "we could all use the fresh air." Her younger brother gave her a disgruntled look.

"It's not like there isn't air inside."

"Are you ready?" Peter asked, ready to pitch again.

"Are you?" Edmund countered as he readied the bat for the pitch, watching it carefully as Peter pitched. Anna gasped as he struck the ball, scrambling to her feet as it soared towards the mansion and smashed into a stained-glass window. Seconds later, she heard the distinct sound of clattering following the shatter.

"Oh, we are going to be in so much trouble," she whispered as they raced up through the mansion to where Edmund had hit the ball. There was a good sized hole in the window and the suit of armour that had been standing in front of it was lying in pieces on the ground. Shattered glass lay everywhere. "Be careful of the glass, Peter," she warned as he moved closer to the scene of the crime to inspect it.

"Well done, Ed," he grumbled.

"You bowled it!" Edmund retorted, but the argument was halted when they heard a sharp, familiar voice demanding to know what had happened and all five of them threw horrified, desperate looks to one another.

"The McCready!" Susan whispered.

"Run!" Peter ordered and they raced as far away from the crime scene as they possible could. But it seemed that wherever they went, Mrs. McCready's footsteps seemed to follow them. Anna could hear the harsh footsteps even a floor above them as they ran through the house, desperate to escape the wrath of the housekeeper.

Finally, Edmund pushed open the door to the one room that Peter and Susan were determined not to mention or go into today. Anna shut the door quickly, trying to latch it, but there was no lock as Edmund said desperately, "Come on!"

Turning around, Anna found that he was standing at the foot of the wardrobe, the doors opened and he was gesturing anxiously for them to get inside to hide. Peter and Susan both stared at him incredulously and Susan shook her head.

"You've _got_ to be joking," she sighed, but the sound of footsteps made up their minds instantly. Anna helped Lucy climb into the wardrobe before the elder two Pevensies climbed inside after her and Peter shut the wardrobe door behind him, peering out through the peephole.

Anna sucked in her breath desperately as she heard the footsteps. "Get back," she whispered to Edmund, noticing suddenly how much colder it seemed in the wardrobe, despite that they were surrounded by fur coats. "Ed, get _back_."

"Ouch!" Lucy whispered as Edmund accidentally stepped on her foot. "Edmund, you're on my foot!"

"Peter, move off!"

"Will you stop shoving?" Peter, accidentally pushed into Anna by Susan, fell on top of her and Anna fell onto the ground with Peter on top of her, their faces so close that they were almost touching, their lips so close that she could almost touch them. She had never been so close to Peter that she could see how blue his eyes actually were.

Her heart was beating so fast at being so close to Peter that it took a few minutes for Anna to realise that the back of her dress was wet and cold; she had landed in something that felt surprisingly like . . . snow?

Pushing himself off of her, Peter was turning an interesting shade of red as he helped her to her feet. "Sorry," he mumbled as Susan pushed all of them into view of the winter forest that they had found their way into.

Anna was still slightly red as she looked around Lucy's forest. It was even more amazing that she had described. "Oh, my . . ." she whispered, looking around at her surroundings. Lucy was grinning like crazy at them finding their way inside.

"Don't worry," she said cheerfully, "I'm sure that it's just your imagination." Peter looked at his youngest sister with shock and shame and disbelief in his eyes.

"I—I don't suppose saying we're sorry would _quite_ cover it," he said, the guilt evident on his face. Lucy shook her head as she hid something behind her back. Anna, realising what she had, ducked behind Peter for cover.

"No, it wouldn't," Lucy agreed as she threw the snowball at her eldest brother. "But that might!"

The snowball hit Peter in the face. Anna laughed in delight as they scooped up snowballs, pelting one another with them. "Peter!" she said when he managed to pelt one down her dress. "Peter Pevensie, I am going to kill you for that one!"

Peter was grinning as she jumped on his back, managing to get some snow on the back of his neck, but with her hanging on, he could do nothing. Susan and Lucy were laughing at their antics as the two sisters continued to pelt one another until one of Susan's snowballs hit Edmund, who hadn't joined in their game.

"Ow!" Edmund snapped, glaring at all four of them. Peter stopped fighting to get Anna off of him and she dropped down to the ground. All of them were looking pointedly at Edmund. "Stop it!"

"You little liar!" Peter accused.

"You didn't believe her either," Edmund pointed out, but that didn't make Peter back down.

"Apologise to Lucy," Peter said, gesturing towards their younger sister. When Edmund didn't even so much as open his mouth, Peter moved towards his brother with fire in his eyes. "Say you're sorry!"

"All right!" Edmund yelled, not looking even remotely remorseful about what he had said. "I'm sorry."

Luckily, Lucy was one of those people that didn't hold a grudge against people, Anna thought proudly. "That's all right," Lucy said, grinning mischievously. "Some little children just don't know when to stop pretending."

"Oh, very funny," Edmund growled at her, recognising her turning his words from the previous night back onto her.

"Maybe we should go back," Susan said, shivering slightly in the cold winter air. Anna had to admit that the temperature was starting to get lower and lower with each passing minute. If they stayed out here for very long, they were going to be numb.

"Shouldn't we at least take a look around?" Edmund asked. Anna glared at him; she hadn't forgiven him yet for lying about him and Lucy getting into Narnia together.

"Personally," she said, looking to her best friend, "I think that Lucy has the right to decide."

Peter nodded, turning towards his little sister with a smile. "So, Lu," he said, his blue eyes twinkling, "what's it going to be?"

Lucy practically squealed in delight, her brown eyes delighted. "I'd like you all to meet Mr. Tumnus!"

"Well, then, Mr. Tumnus it is!" Peter declared, much to Lucy's delight and headed back towards the wardrobe. Anna frowned, her eyes following him as Susan continued to shiver, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. The clothes they wore were meant for summer, not the dead of winter.

"But we can't go hiking in the snow, dressed like this," Susan protested as Peter reappeared, carrying a handful of coats.

"No," he agreed, "but I'm sure the Professor won't mind us using these." Lucy took the brown fur coat that he handed her, slipping it on gratefully. He handed one to Susan, a black one. "Anyway, if you think about it _logically_, we're not even taking them out of the wardrobe."

"But that's a girl's coat!" Edmund protested to the grey coat that he was handed. Peter only pushed it onto him again.

"I know," he replied. Edmund glared at his brother before taking the coat and Peter took one of the two remaining coats, helping Anna into a dark brown one before slipping his own brown one on.

Dressed properly for covering a long path in the freezing snow, the group started walking through the snow and Anna watched every which way, not wanting to miss anything. The snow practically gleamed here, as though it were made of crystals, the icicles shone like silver. If this was what winter was like, Anna wondered what spring was.

Someone touched her shoulder and she jumped, startled, having been admiring the sights, and looked up at Peter. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologised. "And . . . I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to—"

"Peter, you fell, it's not a hardly a crime," Anna said, though her heart raced at being that close to the best friend she was in love with.

The eldest Pevensie looked down, clearly embarrassed. "It's hard to believe that Lucy's story was real," he said as they walked together, his siblings up ahead, Lucy and Susan playing in the snow as they walked. Edmund was still sulking. "You believed her from the beginning, didn't you?"

"How could I not?" Anna sighed. "Lucy's never been one to lie about anything, I saw no reason that it should change now. Besides, you know me," she added with a smile. "I've always believed in the existence of other worlds, if we could just find the right door. Apparently, we have."

Peter actually laughed. "You're insane, you know that?" He was smiling as he looked at her. "Brilliant, but insane."

"I think that covers some of the more famous people in history," Anna countered as she pulled the coat tighter around her. The day was getting colder by the minute.

"Lucy?" Susan asked ahead of them and Anna looked ahead of them to see that the younger sister had stopped, her eyes wide and frozen in horror. The cave that they had been heading to had been caved in and from the sight of it, it looked as though it had been trashed. The door was hanging off of the hinges.

"Lucy!" Peter yelled when his sister suddenly broke into a run towards the cave and the group raced after her, bursting into the house.

Anna looked around at their surroundings, her heart paining at the sight of it. The house was in shambles, everything out of place, almost everything smashed beyond repair. She bent down to pick up a painting of a faun and gently laid it on the table to prevent anyone from breaking it.

"Who would do something like this?" Lucy whispered in horror as she looked around the room in tears.

Peter didn't answer as he approached a note written on parchment nailed onto the wall. He tore it from the wall, moving into a better light to read the note aloud. "'The faun Tumnus is hereby charged with high treason against Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia, for comforting her enemies and fraternising with humans. Signed Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long live the Queen,'" he finished and looked up at them.

"Who's this Queen, Lucy?" Anna asked, turning to face Lucy, whose face had crumpled upon learning what had happened to her friend.

"She isn't a real queen at all," Lucy explained. "She's a horrible witch, the White Witch. Everyone—all the wood people—hate her. She's the one who makes it winter here and never Christmas."

"All right," Susan said, taking charge after she had read the note. "Now we really should go back."

"But what about Mr. Tumnus?"

"If he was arrested just for being with a human," Susan pointed out, "I'm not sure that there's much we can do."

"You don't understand, do you?" Lucy whispered and everyone looked at her. "_I'm_ the human. She must have found out that he helped me." Peter looked at the two elder girls.

"Maybe we could call the police," Peter suggested.

"These _are_ the police," Susan pointed out. She turned to Anna, who had taken the note from Susan and was reading it carefully. "Anna, what do you think we should do?"

Peter looked at his best friend, who looked at all of them, trying to decide what was best.

"Well, I don't know," she said at long last. "Part of me agrees with you, Sue. If Mr. Tumnus was arrested just for being with a human, than we could be a danger to everyone here. On the other hand . . . he did help Lucy. I think we should at least try to do something for him."

"I agree," Peter said, nodding as he bent down to Lucy's level. "Don't worry, Lu," he told her encouragingly, "we'll think of something."

"Why?" Edmund asked. He had been standing away from the group throughout the entire discussion. "I mean, he's a criminal," he explained to their incredulous looks.

Anna turned around as she heard a "psst!" behind her and saw a bird outside, trying to get their attention. Peter led the way outside, where Anna had the distinct impression that someone was following them and moved closer to Peter, who drew her closer.

Apparently, Susan and Lucy sensed the same thing she did, because they both moved closer to their older brother, the four huddled in a group with Edmund standing nearby until a beaver appeared over the hill. Anna let out a sigh of relief, which turned to astonishment when the beaver spoke.

"Lucy Pevensie?" he asked.

Everyone looked at Lucy, who had a surprised look on her face as she moved ahead. "Yes?" she asked as the beaver handed her a handkerchief that Anna recognised. "Hey, that's the hankie I gave to Mr.—"

"Tumnus," the beaver finished up for her, giving the cave behind them a wary look. "He got it to me just before they took him."

"Is he all right?" Lucy asked, her expression alarmed and the beaver glanced cautiously around before gesturing to them.

"Further in," he whispered before moving across the snow covered hills, disappearing from view. Peter and Anna glanced at each other before they followed Lucy, who had immediately begun to follow the beaver, but Susan stopped them.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, her blue eyes wide and shocked, glaring at them.

"She's right!" Edmund put in. "I mean, how do we know that we can trust him?"

Peter paused. "He says that he knows the faun," he finally said. Anna winced at how that sounded and at the exasperated look that Susan gave him at his words.

"He's a _beaver_," she replied, her voice low and sharp. "He shouldn't be saying anything."

The beaver, as if knowing that the conversation had been turned to him, reappeared on the hills. "Everything all right?"

"Yes," Peter assured him. "We were . . . we were just talking." The beaver looked around again.

"That's best left for safer quarters," he whispered as he disappeared over the hills again, leaving the elder children to look at each other in complete confusion.

"He means the trees," Lucy said quietly. Anna and Peter looked at each other again, but this time they followed the beaver to an unknown destination. They had arrived in a world that they didn't know anything about. For now, they were just going to have to trust Lucy's judgement.


	4. Escaping Capture

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Four: Escaping Capture

Anna gazed at the wonders around her as they were led further and further into Narnia and away from the world that all of them knew. As the day started turning into night, the temperature continued to drop and soon, all four of them were shivering with cold. She really hoped that they would reach their destination soon, because her feet were almost dead with cold.

"There we are!" Mr. Beaver announced, pointing up ahead to a dam that was about half-built. Still, it had a nice, homey look and Anna could tell from the smoke rising from the chimney that it was nice and warm inside. "Ah, blimey! Looks like the old girl's got the kettle on, nice up of Rosy Lee!" Lucy gasped at the sight of it.

"It's lovely!"

"Merely a trifle," Beaver said, but Anna could tell that Lucy's comment had pleased him. "Still got plenty to do, not quite finished yet. It'll look the business when it is, though."

Peter helped her climb down the slippery slope as they headed down the Beavers' dwelling, keeping his hand wrapped around hers to make sure she didn't slip and fall. Anna was sure that her face was flushed as he did this, though he probably thought it was from the cold.

As they neared the dam, a female voice drifted towards them. "Beaver? Is that you? I've been worried sick! If I found that you've been out with Badger again, I'll—" Mrs. Beaver stopped talking when the five humans came into view and she gasped in surprise. "Oh! Well, those aren't badgers," she whispered, coming closer to them. "Oh, I never thought I'd see this day." Mrs. Beaver turned to her husband accusingly. "Look at my fur! You couldn't give me _ten_ minutes warning?"

"I'd have given you a week if I thought it would've helped," Beaver replied smoothly and Lucy giggled.

Mrs. Beaver gave her husband a dark look as she turned to the five humans, noticing their shivering and cold appearances. "Come inside, let's get you warmed up and we'll see if we can't find you some food and some . . . civilised company." She gave Beaver a pointed look and he chuckled weakly.

"Careful, watch your step," he warned them as they climbed into the dam. Warmth spread across Anna the moment that she entered and she warmed her hands near the fire with the other children before they joined the Beavers at the dinner table, where Mrs. Beaver provided them with some provisions. Lunch seemed hours ago and they hadn't had dinner before they'd been swept up into Narnia.

"Isn't there anything that we can do to help Tumnus?" Peter asked when they were all sitting down at the table.

"Well, they'll have taken him to the Witch's castle and you know what they say," Beaver said solemnly, "there's few who go through those gates who come out again."

"Fish and chips?" Mrs. Beaver asked brightly, setting a tray in front of them. She placed a paw on Lucy's shoulder when she saw the little girl's fallen expression. "But there's hope, dear, lot's of hope."

Anna noticed the look that she gave her husband and Beaver spat out some of his drink back into the cup as he choked. "Oh, yeah!" he said once he'd recovered. "There's a right bit more than hope!" He glanced around, as though expecting people to be leaning against the windows, listening. "Aslan is on the move."

Silence met his words and Anna, Peter, Susan, and Lucy all stared at him, expecting him to elaborate, but when he didn't, Edmund moved closer to the table and echoed all of their thoughts, "Who's Aslan?"

Beaver burst out laughing at the question, as though he were thinking this were a joke until his wife nudged him and pointed towards their bewildered expressions and he stopped laughing. "You don't know, do you?"

"We haven't exactly been here very long," Peter said with a hint of impatience in his voice. Anna placed a hand on his to pacify him.

"Well, he's only the King of the whole wood," Beaver explained. Anna though she saw something head towards the door out of the corner of her eye, but was too absorbed in the explanation. For some reason, the name Aslan filled her with a good, warm feeling. "The top geezer, the real King of Narnia."

"He's been away for a long while," Mrs. Beaver explained.

"But he's just got back," Beaver said excitedly. "And he's waiting for you near the Stone Table!"

"He's waiting for us?" Lucy echoed.

"You're blooming joking!" Beaver slammed his hands down on the table and turned to his wife in exasperation. "They don't even know about the prophecy!"

"Well, then . . ." Mrs. Beaver gestured towards the children, who were still confused about the happenings that were going on around them. Anna wished that she knew was going on; she hated it when things were happening that directly involved her and she didn't have a clue what was going on. The last time it had happened was when her father had gone off to war and her mum and dad had been arguing downstairs for a long time before they finally told her.

"Look . . ." Beaver sighed as he looked around at the group before ticking off the events. "Aslan's return . . . Tumnus' arrest . . . the secret police . . . it's all happening because of you!"

"You're blaming us?!" Susan demanded, incredulous.

"No!" Mrs. Beaver exclaimed, shaking her head in denial. "Not blaming. _Thanking _you."

"There's a prophecy," Beaver explained and began to recite, "_When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done._"

"What's Cair Paravel?" Anna asked at the same time that Susan told Beaver that the prophecy didn't really rhyme.

"I know it don't," Beaver admitted, "but you're kind of missing the point." He turned to Anna. "And Cair Paravel is a castle on the eastern sea border. It's also known as the Castle of the Four Thrones, where four siblings are to sit as the new rulers of Narnia."

"It has long been foretold that two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia," Mrs. Beaver explained.

"But there's five of us! How do you know that we're the ones?"

"Because four of you are related," Beaver explained. "And you'd better be the ones because Aslan has already fitted out your army!" Astonishment ripped through the humans in the room as they gawked at Beaver, unable to believe what they had just heard.

"Our army?" Lucy exclaimed as Susan turned to Peter, who hadn't overcome his shock.

"Mum sent us away so we wouldn't get caught up in a war," she said firmly and Peter hesitated, looking towards Anna to help, but she didn't know what to do. On the one hand, they weren't heroes, they couldn't even handle weapons. But then . . . if the Pevensies _were_ the ones, then they could be the only ones to free this country from the Witch's tyranny.

"I think you've made a mistake," Peter said after a long minute. "We're not heroes! We're from Finchley."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Susan said as she stood up. Anna looked around the room, suddenly aware of the absence of Edmund and dread filled through her as she saw the empty room.

"Peter!" she said quickly, scrambling to her feet as she looked around the room, checking to make sure she hadn't overlooked him. "Peter, where's Edmund?"

The eldest Pevensie looked around at Anna, then searched the room, along with Susan. His blue eyes darkened as he turned to his best friend and eldest sister. "I'm going to kill him," he growled.

"You may not have to," Beaver replied and everyone looked at him. "Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?"

Anna looked to Peter and Susan, horror rising through her as she realised what had happened during Edmund's first trip. He had somehow met with the Witch and she'd convinced him to join her side. Peter grabbed their coats, thrusting them towards their owners, and Anna grabbed Lucy's hand as she followed Peter and Susan out the door, following Edmund's footprints that were rapidly getting covered by the falling snow.

"Hurry!" Peter yelled over his shoulder as Anna helped Lucy run through the forest with Beaver right behind them. His wife had remained at the dam for their return.

Peter suddenly came to a stop that nearly made Anna crash into him and she stared up at the crystallised castle that was standing before them, the tall doors opening for a lone figure that was walking inside of it. A figure that all of them knew, despite the distance.

"Edmund!" Lucy screamed, her voice echoing in the vast icy wasteland.

"Shh!" Beaver hissed at her as Anna grabbed Lucy, holding her tightly, fear for Edmund overriding her senses. Peter moved forward to head inside the castle to find his brother, but Beaver grabbed him, preventing him from going any further. "You're playing into her hands!"

"We can't just let him go!" Susan retorted, her blue eyes that were identical to her older brother's flashing.

"He's our brother!" Lucy cried as she clung to Anna, buried her face into her chest out of fear for Edmund.

"He's the _bait_!" Beaver cried, desperation in his voice. "The Witch wants all four of you, to stop the prophecy from coming true!" Anna gulped, afraid of what he meant by that and Beaver confirmed her suspicions a second later when he said, "To kill you!"

Peter stood frozen as he stared up at the castle and Susan marched up to him, eyes blazing. "This is all your fault!" she cried, placing her hands on her hips. "None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me in the first place!"

"Susan, Peter, stop it!" Anna protested, trying to prevent the impending fight that was almost constant these days.

"Oh, so you knew what would happen?" Peter demanded, for once ignoring his best friend.

"I didn't know what would happen!" Susan retorted as Lucy pulled away from Anna, glaring at her two eldest siblings. "Which is why we should have left while we still could!"

"STOP IT!" Lucy shrieked. Her shout made Peter and Susan look at her. "This isn't helping Edmund," she said in a much softer tone, looking at them imploringly.

"She's right," Beaver told them. Anna looked down at their guide, who had a sympathetic look on his face. "Only Aslan can help your brother now."

Peter hesitated, reluctant to leave his younger brother here, but Anna placed a hand on his arm, forcing him to look at her. "There's nothing more we can do here, Peter," she told him softly. "I don't like it either, but this is the only option we've got."

His shoulders sagged as he realised the truth of her words. Like it or not, Edmund was beyond their help. Going in after him was only going to get all of them killed.

"Then take us to him," he told Beaver before glancing back at the castle one last time before they heard the distant howl of wolves.

"The secret police," Beaver hissed. With panicked looks towards each other, they raced back to the dam. Mrs. Beaver looked up the moment that they entered. "Hurry, Mother," Beaver said quickly as he locked the door behind them. "They're after us!"

"Oh, right then," Mrs. Beaver said and scurried around the kitchen to grab some necessities for the journey.

Susan hurried forward to help her as Beaver led them over to a secret tunnel hidden behind a cupboard. Peter jumped down and Anna passed him a light before she climbed down herself. They could all hear scratches and whinnies nearby as Lucy climbed down, followed by Susan and the Beavers, who closed the hidden door behind them.

Racing through the tunnel with Peter holding her hand and the sisters right behind her, Anna couldn't help but think that they were heading for an adventure that she could never, not even in her wildest imagination, could have dreamed of.

When they came to a dead end, Anna could hear the wolves in the tunnel as Mrs. Beaver scolded her husband before he climbed up, pushing open the exit and scurrying up it, followed by his wife. Peter climbed out next, helping the girls up before they blocked it with a barrel.

Anna turned around and covered her mouth to stiffen her gasp as she found a bunch of statuary around them. Animals of different shapes and sizes were all around them, frozen in stone, their faces filled with torment and anguish. Beaver walked up to a statue of a badger, his face filled with grief.

"What happened here?" Peter asked as he looked around in shock at the sight in front of them.

Whoever he had been expecting to answer him, it wasn't the one who did. A fox appeared in the clearing and said, "This is what becomes of those who cross the Witch." He leaped down into sight and Beaver growled at him, taking a dangerous step towards him.

"You take one more step, traitor, and I'll chew you to splinters," he threatened. The fox laughed.

"Relax," he reassured the Beavers, who were far from convinced. "I'm one of the good guys."

"Oh, yeah?" Beaver snapped as his wife tried to stop him from saying anything else, her expression fearful as she looked towards the fox. "Well, you look an awful lot like one of the bad ones."

"An unfortunate family resemblance," the fox replied dryly. "But we can argue breeding later. Right now, we've got to move." Anna turned around when she heard the sounds of the wolves coming every so closer; they were almost through the tunnel. She threw a panicked look at Peter, who turned towards the fox.

"What did you have in mind?"


	5. Christmas Returns

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Five: Christmas Returns

Anna helped Lucy climb up through the narrow branches, passing her to Peter, who was helping them climb up as fast as they could. Meanwhile, the fox was using his tail to brush away their footprints, masking any indication that they had indeed been there. Once Lucy was safely in the trees, Anna climbed up, accepting Peter's help to climb up, settling herself in one of the limbs just as the wolves burst out of the tunnel, snarling as they saw the fox.

"Greeting, gents," the fox said pleasantly, looking around at the group of wolves that surrounding him, acting as though he weren't in the slightest amount of danger. "Lost something, have we?" The leader of the pack, whom Anna assumed was Maugrim, snarled at him.

"Don't patronise me," he warned the fox as they circled around him. "I know where your allegiance lies." He paused. "We're looking for some humans."

"Humans? Here in Narnia?" The fox's tone was calm and curious, betraying no sign of nervousness. "Now that's a valuable piece of information . . . don't you think?"

One of the wolves darted forward and his teeth broke into the fox's fur. Peter's hand moved quickly around Anna, covering her mouth to stiffen her gasp of horror.

Maugrim moved towards the fox. "Your reward is your life. It's not much," he chuckled, "but still. Where are the fugitives?"

The fox whined in pain, but for a moment said nothing. Anna waited, tension rising through her as she stared down at the fox, wondering what his next move was going to be. For a long, tense moment, silence rang through the clearing, the only sound being the fox's soft moans of pain.

And then finally, he spoke. "North," he gasped. "They ran north." Maugrim evidentially believed the pain and shame that was bore in his voice, because he looked towards his pack.

"Smell them out," he ordered and they fled, heading north and throwing the fox onto the ground. No one moved for a long moment, though Anna's heart was crying out to jump to the ground and help the fox, but she knew that if they moved, they would be discovered and his injuries would be for nothing.

Only when it was safe did Anna climb down towards the ground and guided the fox's head into her lap. Mrs. Beaver tsked as she inspected the injuries. They quickly built a fire so that she could have some light to tend to the injuries and they wouldn't freeze to death. While he was being treated, Mr. Fox explained what had happened to those in the clearing.

"They were helping Tumnus. The Witch got here before I did. Ouch!"

"Are you all right?" Lucy asked.

"Well, I wish I could say that their bark was worse than their bite," Mr. Fox admitted as Mrs. Beaver tended to a particularly delicate spot and he tried to move away, but his healer was adamant.

"Oh, stop squirming," she ordered as she pushed him back down to tend to them once again. "You're worse than Beaver on bath day."

"Worst day of the year," Beaver whispered to them. The children had a hard time not laughing.

Mr. Fox stood up, wincing slightly as he placed some weight on his injuries. "Thank you for your kindness," he said, looking around at the four children, three of whom were the prophesised ones. "But I'm afraid that that's all the time I have time for."

"You're leaving?" Lucy sounded crestfallen.

"It has been a pleasure, my Queen, and an honour," Mr. Fox said with a bow. "But time is short and Aslan himself has asked me to gather more troops."

At the mention of the King of Narnia, the Beavers grew excited as they looked at him. "You've seen Aslan?"

"What's he like?"

Mr. Fox smiled meaningfully. "Like . . . everything we've ever heard," he answered before looking at the children. "You'll be glad to have him by your side in the battle against the Witch."

At the mention of a battle, the atmosphere grew tense, Anna noticed and shivered at the feel of it. And that shiver didn't have anything to do with the cold wind that was howling around them.

"But we're not planning on fighting any witch," Susan told Mr. Fox, who looked alarmed at this predicament.

"But surely, King Peter," he protested, looking Peter, "the prophecy!"

"We can't go to war without you," Beaver told them softly and Anna glanced sideways at her best friend. He shook his head as he tossed a twig, which he had been playing with for a few minutes, into the fire before he looked at the talking animals around them.

"We just want our brother back," he answered. The answer didn't help to lighten the mood, but apparently, Mr. Fox saw no reason to push the subject.

Instead, he looked towards Anna, sitting close to Peter. "My lady, help guide them on their quest," he said with a bow to her, surprising all of them. Without another word, he darted into the winter wilderness and vanished from sight, leaving Anna to ponder his parting words as they gathered up their belongings and began the long journey to the Stone Table, where their destinies were awaiting.

--

The sun was just climbing over the horizon as they trudged through the snow, snow covering their shoes and pulling their coats tighter around them as they finally reached a bridge that was made of rock, leading them across. Stopping in the middle of the bridge, Anna stared out across the world of Narnia, at the sunlight stretching across the world, making it shine like diamonds.

"Now, Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table, just across the frozen river," Beaver explained as he pointed in the direction that they were headed.

"River?"

"Oh, the river's been frozen solid for a hundred years," Mrs. Beaver hastened to assure Peter.

For a moment, all any of them did was just look at the direction where they were going. "It's so far," Peter said after a long moment.

"It's the world, dear," Mrs. Beaver pointed out with a smile. "Did you expect it to be small?"

"Smaller," Susan replied as she threw a disgruntled look towards her brother before walking past him to walk on ahead. Of all of them, Anna noticed, Susan was the only one who hadn't been enjoying themselves thus far.

Lucy hurried to catch up with her big sister while Anna and Peter walked with each other, neither one of them talking for a long moment until Peter decided to break the silence. "Anna?" he asked suddenly and she looked at him. "Do you think Ed's all right?"

"I'm sure that he's fine," Anna said comfortingly. "He might make the wrong decisions sometimes, but he's strong. A fighter," she added. "Just like his brother." Peter smiled faintly and she placed a hand on his arm. "We're gonna get him back, Peter. I promise, no witch is going to prevent us from getting him home safely."

"What if he doesn't want to come back?" Peter looked at her. "I was pretty hard on him."

"You weren't the only one," Anna pointed out. "But despite everything that he's done now, I do know one thing. He loves you. He's your brother, Peter, and he looks up to you. And he does love you." She smiled at him. "Now come on, let's get to that camp and rescue Edmund. Race you," she added as she ran up ahead, leaving Peter to catch up with her, laughing.

--

It was hours later when they were trudging through the snow, following the Beavers as they led them towards the river that would take them to Aslan's camp. Anna was retelling Lucy the only story from her fairy tale book that she'd remembered by heart, the same one that her father had read to her night after night when she was little, because it was her favourite.

"_Poor Elisa, who knew that she was innocent but could not say a word to prove it, set to work knitting the last shirt. Mice ran across the floor and fetched the nettles for her; they wanted to help. And the thrush sang outside the iron bars of the window, as gaily as it could, so that she would not lose her courage,_" Anna continued, her throat dull from talking as well as from the long walk. Lucy was walking between her and Peter, holding each of their hands as they walked. Susan was walking up ahead, but close enough to listen to Anna's tale. "_One hour before sunrise, her brothers came to the castle and demanded to see the king. But they were refused, for it as still night and the guards did not dare wake the king. Elisa's brothers begged and threatened; they made so much noise that the captain of the guards came and, finally, the king himself. But at that moment, the sun rose; the brothers were gone but high above the royal castle flew eleven white swans._"

"Come on, humans, while we're still young!" Beaver yelled from where he was walking ahead with his wife.

Peter shook his head as Lucy began to lag behind, her little legs unable to keep up with them any longer. He bent down and allowed Lucy to clamber onto his back, carrying her. "If he tells us to hurry one more time, I'm going to turn him into a big, fluffy hat."

"Tell me about it," Anna groaned as she pulled the coat tighter around her. Her legs were moaning in protest, not used to walking this long without any rest and in this cold of weather. "He is getting a little bit bossy."

"No, it's her!" Mrs. Beaver shouted to us. "It's _her_! RUN!" Anna looked around and gasped when she saw the sleigh that was heading straight towards them. Lucy jumped down off of Peter's back and they ran across the snowy glade, already knowing that they had been spotting and would, within minutes, be caught.

They raced into the forest and plunged underneath a small cave, effectively hiding them, but preventing them from going anywhere else. If they were found, then they were dead. Anna pulled Lucy in and Peter and Susan slipped in after them, followed by the Beavers. No one dared move, no one spoke, no one even breathed as they heard the sleigh come to a stop nearby and someone climbed out.

Anna bit her lip to stop the terrified gasp that threatened to escape from her lips as a shadow appeared over the entrance to the cave, as if somehow knowing that they were there. Instinctively, Anna reached for Peter's hand and gripped it. He looked at her and squeezed her hand tighter, nearly cutting off the circulation, but she didn't care. She was too worried about the witch standing nearby, seconds away from discovering them.

Slowly, the witch moved away from the cave and Anna's shoulders slowly relaxed in relief, but none of them heard the sleigh move away. Lucy was the first to speak.  
"Maybe she's gone."

Everyone exchanged worried looks and Peter released Anna's hand, moving towards the entrance. "I suppose I'll go look."

"No, Peter!" Anna whispered, grabbing the sleeve of his coat to stop him. "You can't!"

"She's right," Beaver agreed as he looked at the eldest sibling. "You're worth nothing to Narnia dead." He began to move outside of the cave when his wife protested.

"Well, neither are you, Beaver."

"Thanks, sweetheart." Her husband gripped her paw briefly and moved outside to see if they were safe or not.

For a long, tense moment, all of them sat perfectly still, terrified at what was going to happen when Beaver suddenly poked his head over the cave, his expression excited. "Come out, come out!" he said eagerly. "I hope you've all been good, because there's someone here to see you!"

Anna let out a small sigh as she moved with Mrs. Beaver and the Pevensies out of the cave, climbing back up onto the valley, her mouth opening slightly when the sight met her eyes. A man dressed in all red and a shockingly white suit was standing in front of them, with a red sleigh and eight reindeer hitched to it. The man was laughing and chuckling as Lucy squealed in delight.

"Father Christmas?" Anna said, incredulously while Lucy hurried forward to greet him.

"Merry Christmas, sir," she said brightly.

"It certainly is, Lucy, now that you have arrived," Father Christmas agreed. At this point, Susan had turned to Peter and was whispering something to Peter, but he interrupted her tirade.

"We thought you were the Witch, sir."

"Yes, I'm sorry about that," he apologised. "But in my defence, I have been driving one of these longer than the Witch."

"But there's . . . there's not supposed to be any Christmas in Narnia, is there?" Anna asked, looking between Lucy and Father Christmas.

"No, not for a long time," he answered, shaking his head. "But the hope you have brought, Your Majesties, my lady, has started to weaken the Witch's power. Still, I dare say that you could do with these." He hoisted a large bag out from the backseat of his sleigh.

"Presents!" Lucy exclaimed as she hurried forward.

Pulling a small bottle filled with an odd liquid in it and a dagger attached to a red belt and scabbard out of the bag, Father Christmas handed them to Lucy. "The juice of the fire-flower," he told her as he handed the bottle to her. "One drop will cure any injury. And though I hope you never have to use it . . ." He handed her the dagger and Lucy took it valiantly.

"Thank you, sir, but . . . I think I could be brave enough," she told him and he smiled at her.

"I'm sure that you could," he agreed. "But battles are ugly affairs." Lucy smiled as she backed up and he retrieved a set of bows and arrows from the sack, turning to the elder sister. "Susan." Slowly, she moved forward to accept her gifts. "Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss."  
"What happened to 'battles are ugly affairs'?" Susan asked as she took the quiver filled with red-feathered arrows and the handsome bow.

Father Christmas chuckled again. "And though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard," he said as he handed her an ivory horn, "blow on this and wherever you are, help will come."

Susan took the horn and slowly looked up at him. "Thanks," she said quietly as she moved back.

"Anna," Father Christmas said, turning to her now. She blinked in surprise, but Lucy pushed her forward. He handed her a sword and scabbard that gleamed in the sunlight.

The scabbard was dark green, the colour of trees in their prime, and the sword had the head of a lion on it, gleaming silver. The silver blade that had the inscription _Courage is not the absence of fear._

"But rather the judgement that some things are more important than fear," Anna whispered, finishing the long remembered phrase that her father had taught her from the time when she was a small girl. Father Christmas smiled and nodded as he retrieved another present from his sack. "And here is this," he added, placing a small silver pendant with an engraved into it into her palm. The chain that it hung around it was finer than any that could have been found in London. "To find your way home when your journey is finished."

Anna frowned at what that meant, but didn't ask as she thanked Father Christmas and moved back, letting Peter take her place.

"Peter," Father Christmas addressed him. "The time to use these may be near at hand." He handed a sword and scabbard to Peter as well as a shield with a red lion engraved into it. Anna noticed that his sword was almost identical to hers, except it was gold instead of her silver and the scabbard was red instead of green.

For a moment, Peter stared at the sword as he unsheathed it, admiring its blade. "Thank you, sir," he said gratefully.

"These are tools," Father Christmas reminded us, "not toys. Bear them well and wisely. Now, I must be off. Winter is almost over and things to pile up when you've been gone a hundred years." He returned the bag into his sleigh before climbing into it, giving them one last look. "Long live Aslan," he proclaimed, "and Merry Christmas!"

Cracking the whip, he disappeared into the distance and the children and Beavers shouted their goodbyes. "Told you he was real," Lucy accused Susan, who ignored her.

"What's the matter, Peter?" Anna asked, noticing her best friend's expression.

"He said winter was almost over," Peter answered. "You know what that means? No more ice."

--

AN: Just in case you were wondering, the story that Anna tells to Lucy is _not_ mine. It's Hans Christian Anderson's "The Wild Swans." It's one of my favourite stories, so if you've never read it, I'd suggest looking into it, it's excellent!

The Lady of the Mists


	6. Reaching the Camp

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Six: Reaching the Camp

At Peter's proclamation, the group didn't waste any time in racing through the forest, heading faster than ever for the river that separated them from Aslan's camp, where lay the one hope of getting Edmund back. Anna stared down at the river, which was rapidly melting. The ice was breaking apart as they stared down at it, leaving only a little bit of space left of ice and the frozen waterfall. They didn't have very long.

"We have to cross, now!" Peter ordered as he started to climb down the side of the river, down to the ice.

Lucy looked towards the Beavers eagerly. "Don't beavers make dams?" she asked them.

"I'm not _that_ fast, dear," Beaver answered as he hurried down with his wife to check the ice to make sure that it would hold.

"Peter's right, if we're going to cross, it has to be now, before it breaks completely," Anna said as she helped Lucy climb down to where Peter was waiting to help the girls.

"Wait!" Susan protested. Anna looked up at the eldest sister. "Maybe we should think about this for a minute!"

"We don't have a minute!"

"I'm just trying to be realistic," Susan said sharply to Peter, who glared at her furiously.

"No, you're trying to be smart," he shot back. "As _usual_." Despite his harsh words, he helped her climb down as Lucy and Anna reached the bottom of the river, looking for a safe way to cross. Anna jumped back when a bit of water gushed up in between to broken pieces and Beaver held her back.

"Maybe I should go first," he suggested, moving cautiously across the frozen river, checking for weaknesses. As the ice slowly sinks underneath him, his wife's eyes narrowed.

"You've been sneaking second helping, haven't you?" she accused him and he chuckled weakly.

"Well, you never know which meal's going to be your last," he pointed out, "especially with your cooking." Anna would've smiled if she hadn't been too worried about crossing the river . . . and praying that the ice wouldn't break before she got to the other side.

Because if it did, then she was going to be in very big trouble, she thought as she cautiously followed Peter and Lucy across the river. "This would be a very bad time to mention that I can't swim, wouldn't it?" she asked anxiously and Peter threw her a panicked look at her words.

"I thought your dad taught you!"

"He was going to, but then he went off to war and it wasn't like Mum was going to pay for lessons for me to learn!" Anna pointed out. Peter sighed as he pulled her closer, worry crossing his face as they moved closer and closer to the other side. They were almost there . . .

"Oh, no!" Lucy cried out, pointing towards the top of the waterfall. Anna looked up and saw the same pack of wolves that had nearly cornered them the previous night racing across the top.

"RUN!" Peter yelled and ignoring the danger of racing across the broken ice, they ran as fast as they could to get away from the wolves and to safety. But the wolves were faster, reaching the other side and blocking their path. Anna turned around to see if they could get back, but there were wolves there as well.

They were trapped.

Beaver snarled at one of the wolves, who attacked and held him by the throat. Lucy screamed when she saw their friend in trouble and Peter drew his sword, holding it defensively in front of him.

"Put that down, boy," Maugrim suggested as he walked closer to the four humans that stood close together. "Someone could get hurt. Leave now while you can . . . and your brother leaves with you."

"Do you honestly think we're just going to believe you?" Anna snapped at him, taking out her own sword and gripping it tightly at her side. "Is there anyone who would believe the word of someone who works for a tyrant?" Her blue eyes glittered dangerously.

Maugrim snarled at her, but Susan stopped both Anna and Peter. "Stop, maybe we should listen to him!"

"Smart girl," Maugrim commented as he looked towards Susan, chuckling menacingly.

"Don't listen to him!" Beaver shouted from where he was being held by the throat by a wolf. He had been shouting at Peter to kill Maugrim for a few moments now.

"This isn't your war," Maugrim said calmly. "All my queen wants is for you to take your family and go."

Susan turned to Peter, her eyes blazing. "Look, just because some man in a red coat hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero!" she exclaimed. "Just drop it!" Peter ignored his sister, the sword trembling slightly as he held it, but he didn't yield.

"Don't, Peter!" Beaver yelled. "Narnia needs you!" Anna moved her sword threateningly towards a wolf as he tried to move closer and attack, her blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What's it going to be, son of Adam?" Maugrim asked as he walked even closer to them. "I won't wait forever. And neither will the river," he added, looking around at the melting river. The bright blue river was growing even bigger and the ice patch that they were on even smaller.

"PETER!" Lucy shrieked and he looked up to see water spraying out from behind the frozen waterfall. It was about to crack, Anna realised with growing horror, her heart nearly stopping as Peter made his decision.

Plunging his sword into the ice, he yelled towards them, "Hold on to me!" Anna shoved her sword back into the scabbard and ran to him just as the waterfall broke, sending hundreds upon hundreds of buckets of water onto the four humans, two beavers, and pack of wolves.

The icy water seemed to plunge right through her, feeling as though she couldn't move or even think. She was having trouble hold on to Peter's coat as they rose through the water and she gasped for breath, struggling to pull herself onto the ice patch with the water feeling like knives stabbing all over her body, pricking every part of her.

"Anna, hold on!" Peter shouted in her ear, trying to hoist her up. Anna struggled to grab on, but her body was numb. "Don't you dare let go!"

He sounded scared, even terrified, but she had to be delirious. Peter couldn't be afraid. He was Peter, strong and brave and kind . . . he was everything to her, the one thing in her world that made the most sense to her, that she cared about most in any world. He was so strong and brave, why would he be afraid?

"Please, hold on!" Peter screamed at her, pulling her back into her senses. "Anna, don't you dare let go! Just let go of me with one hand and grab the sword, please!" He sounded desperate.

Anna obeyed, managing to grab hold of the sword, pulling herself up. But at the same time that she managed to get onto the icy patch, her leg was grabbed by a tree branch in the river. "Peter!" she screamed just as she was torn off of the ice patch, pulling her underneath the river, her leg caught by something.

She heard Peter scream her name as she went under and she felt her head get hit by something hard. It was getting hard to breathe, she thought dimly as everything went dark . . .

--

"Come on, Anna, breathe!"

Her first coherent thought was that someone was kissing her. She felt someone pressing hard on her chest before forcing air into her lungs, pinching her nostrils tight. What was going on? she thought as she suddenly became aware of how her air passage was blocked by water.

With a gasp, she choked on the water, turning on her side to spit it back out, gasping for breath as she felt herself being yanked up, pulled into someone's lap, her red hair being brushed out of her face.

"Peter?" she whispered, struggling to pull him into view. He nodded, tears of relief flooding in his face as he pulled her up, drawing her into his arms and burying his head into her hair, kissing it gently. She buried her head into his chest, gripping his coat tightly as they clung to each other. "What happened?" she whispered.

"You got pulled under the water," Susan said, who was standing nearby with a terrified Lucy, comforting her sister gently. "You must've hit your head on something, because you were unconscious when Peter found you and you weren't breathing . . . Peter had to do CPR."

Anna looked at her best friend, who had now pulled away from her enough to look at her properly. "Thanks for saving my life," she said, shivering slightly, but it was slightly warmer than it had been before.

"Don't worry about it," he said, his voice sounding choked and breathless. "I'm just glad that you're okay." He stroked her hair and she revelled in the feeling before he helped her to her feet. "Take it easy, though. You almost died." His voice trembled at the thought as he walked with her, his hand gripping her arm to make sure she didn't fall.

"Come on, children," Beaver said, cheerfully now that they knew that Anna was all right, that she was safe and well. "We're almost there now. The worst of it is over."

"And I don't think you're going to be needing those coats for very much longer," his wife added, pointing up ahead. Anna looked and saw that there were flowers starting to bloom. The snow was melting and trees were turning into a bright green. Spring, at long last, had come to Narnia.

They walked through the forest as spring slowly started to bloom and eventually, they did indeed shed the coats and even the sweaters that they'd been wearing back in England, which felt like a lifetime ago. Anna knew she wasn't the same person that she'd back then. In just a few days, they had changed from the people that they'd been there.

Peter looked at her as they passed through the forest, his expression concerned. "Are you sure that you're all right?" he asked her, his hand still on her arm, but his face was slightly red, she noticed with some puzzlement. Why was his face red like that?

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Just a bit tired. Could use with some sleep and a decent meal."

"I think we could all use that," Peter admitted, "but you almost . . . you almost _died_, Anna." His voice trembled and he pulled her against him, gripping her tightly. "I almost _lost_ you."

Looking up at her best friend, surprised by the tears she found in his eyes, Anna reached up and brushed her finger against the unshed tear. "I'm not going anywhere," she told him. "I promise you, Peter, you're not going to lose me. Ever," she added more firmly when he didn't look convinced. "Come on, let's go catch up with the others."

Peter nodded once, but he took her hand, his hand slipping into hers possessively and she felt herself blushing when he did this, but didn't let go as they walked up ahead with the others, finding the first sights of tents and other creatures of Narnia.

They heard a horn sound as they approached, as it were announcing their arrival, and Anna looked around as she saw animals and creatures she thought only existed in her fairy tale book.

Centaurs . . . dryads . . . nymphs . . . fauns . . . satyrs . . . naiads . . . every creature that had ever been invented by the human imagination now stood before them, their eyes travelling as they passed through the camp and as Anna glanced behind them, she noticed that they were being followed by a lot, if not all, of them.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Susan whispered as they continued to walk with the Beavers. Peter's hand was still wrapped around Anna's hand, refusing to let go.

"Maybe they think_ you_ look funny," Lucy said teasingly. Anna laughed as they, at long last, reached the front of the camp, where a male centaur with a black horse-body and hair.

Peter reluctantly let go of Anna's hand as he pulled out his sword, saluting the centaur. "We have come to see Aslan," he announced in a voice that was unlike the Peter that she had known her entire life. No, instead it sounded more like the king that everyone here believed that he was. And one day would become, she thought with a smile.

The centaur looked towards the tent and as one, the group that crowded them knelt in respect to their King, silence falling over the camp.

Anna looked to the tent and the door flapped open, revealing a feline paw before a huge, golden lion stepped out into the light, looking down at the four humans that had journeyed so far to see him.

At once, Anna knew that this had to be Aslan. Her friends came to the same decision as they knelt as one before the great lion.

"Welcome, Peter, son of Adam," Aslan said in a deep, rumbling voice. "Welcome, Susan, Lucy, and Anna, daughters of Eve. And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks. But where is the fifth?" he asked, looking at them questioningly.


	7. Knighted

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Seven: Knighted

The moment that Aslan mentioned Edmund, Anna looked at Peter, who stood up, sheathing his sword. "That's why we're here, sir," he explained as all three of girls stood up with him, looking towards the great lion helplessly. "We need your help."

"We had a little trouble along the way," Susan explained as they stood anxiously in front of the awaiting crowd, who wanted to know what had happened to the last prophesised one.

Peter finally sighed, looking straight at Aslan. "Our brother's been captured by the White Witch," he explained quietly. Anna heard gasps and murmurs going around the crowd nearby and Aslan's kind eyes narrowed in concern and worry.

"Captured? How could this happen?" Anna looked between Peter and Susan, who seemed unable to answer the question, the guilt coming off of them in waves.

After a moment, Beaver was the one who explained what had happened to Aslan. "He . . . betrayed them, Your Majesty," he explained.

The centaur who had been guarding Aslan's tent stepped forward, stomping one of his hooves angrily. "Then he has betrayed us all!" he declared. Anna flinched at his tone; Edmund had made a mistake, sure enough, but should he really be condemned for all eternity for it?

"Peace, Orieus," Aslan said with a low growl. "I'm sure there's an explanation." His gaze returned to the four humans standing in front of them and Peter looked down, his gaze filled with shame. Anna slipped her hand into his, giving him her support and strength.

"It's my fault, really," Peter confessed. Anna squeezed his hand tightly in comfort and he took a deep breath, looking back up at the lion. "I was too hard on him."

Susan looked at her brother before turning back towards the lion; she too looked guilty. "We all were," she said timidly. Aslan nodded in understanding as Lucy looked up at him.

"Sir, he's our brother."

Anna gazed up at Aslan fretfully. "Can anything be done to help him?" she asked, her voice soft, yet carrying to the furthest reaches of the camp.

Aslan's eyes looked towards her. "His betrayal is against his family and that makes it all the worse," he said at long last. "We will do what we can for Edmund, but it made be harder than you think." He paused. "But for now, you are weary and hungry. And I am sure you could all use some rest and fresh clothes." A few fauns and centaurs came forward and Anna found herself led away with Susan and Lucy to get cleaned from the long journey and to dress in clean clothes.

Once she had scrubbed all of the dirt and sweat off of her, Anna pulled on the under-dress that had been provided her. It was cream coloured, the neck drooping down almost around her shoulders. The dress that went over it was a deep purple, fastened in the back and beautiful gold embroidery on the front of the gown.

Anna slipped on the soft, sturdy shoes that the Narnians had given her before she hurried to find Susan and Lucy, who were at the river, looking at their reflections, twirling in their new gowns. Lucy's eyes lit up the moment that she saw her.

"You look like a princess!" she said as she joined the sisters. Anna grinned as she looked down at her reflection, gazing down at the girl that she saw staring back at her. She barely even recognised her own reflection, with the girl wearing her own face in the beautiful gown and a sword at her side. "Don't you think Susan looks like Mum?"

"Just a bit," Anna admitted. In all of that finery, the elder sister _did_ look a bit like her mother, if her eyes were dark instead of their bright blue. "You both look beautiful."

Susan shook her head with a small smile. "Mum hasn't had a dress like this since before the war," she admitted. Anna nodded grimly, thinking of all the gowns that she and her mother had to give away to support the war effort.

"We should bring her one back," Lucy said excitedly. "A whole trunk full!" But Susan's next words doused Lucy's excitement.

"If we ever get back," she said quietly. Lucy's excited look turned miserable and she looked down at her feet as Anna looked towards Susan, giving her a look.

"There's no need to be pessimistic, Susan," she told her, kindly, yet firmly. "I've got this, haven't I?" She held up the pendant. "And didn't Father Christmas say that it was to guide me home when my journey was over? I'm sure that we'll all find our way home. There's no way that I'd go home without any of you."

Susan smiled at that and Lucy brightened slightly, though she was still slightly disheartened at her big sister's words. "I'm sorry that I'm like that," Susan apologised, looking at Lucy. She paused. "We used to have fun together . . . didn't we?"

"Yes," Lucy agreed, a mischievous smile crossing her face. "Before you got boring!" She laughed and Susan's eyes narrowed. Without warning, she reached down and splashed Lucy and Anna with water. The latter squealed as she ducked away from Susan, returning the attack. She didn't have any problems with rivers that were this low; it was just when they were really deep like the one that she'd nearly drowned at that she was afraid of.

The girls continued to splash each other with water until all three of them were soaked to the skin and they climbed out of the water. Susan grabbed a towel and immediately shrieked, jumping back as a snarl emerged from where the towel had been hanging only a few minutes previously. Anna pulled out her sword the second she heard Susan's scream and directed it towards the wolves as they entered the clearing.

"Please don't try to run," Maugrim requested as they moved closer to the girls, "we're tired and we'd prefer to kill you quickly." Anna caught Susan's eye and her eyes flew to Susan's horn, where it was lying with her quiver and bow.

"GO!" Anna barked, pushing Lucy towards a tree and Susan raced towards the horn as Anna held the wolves back, keeping her sword in hand just as an ear-piercing horn that doubtlessly emerged throughout the entire valley. The wolves jumped at the sound, giving Susan the opportunity to rush up into the tree with Lucy.

"Come on, Anna!" Lucy screamed, but she hesitated, the sword in her hand surprisingly steady. Maugrim growled low at her as she stayed on the ground, keeping her sword at the ready until help arrived. One of the wolves lunged forward and Anna swung, downing the wolf and she plunged the sword into his heart.

Anna yanked the sword out when he was still, unmoving and the two remaining wolves growled at her, circling her. She kept her sword ready just as a familiar voice shouted, "Get away from her!"

Looking around, Anna saw Peter drawing out his sword and pointing it towards Maugrim, who glanced between Anna and Peter before going after her best friend. "Come on," his partner growled at Peter.

"We've already been through this before," Maugrim pointed out, reminding Peter of his failure to kill the wolves back at the river. "We both know you haven't got it in you."

"Peter! Watch out!" Susan shouted from where she and Lucy were safely in the tree, with Anna right below them.

Without warning, the second wolf, about to attack, was pinned down by Aslan, who had arrived with some reinforcements. Orieus, who was about to attack, was stopped by Aslan. "No! Stay your weapons. This is Peter's battle," he ordered them. Orieus halted the company as Maugrim and Peter circled on another. Anna stayed where she was, wanting to help her best friend, but knowing this was something he had to do on his own.

Peter's eyes were narrowed, his mouth set grimly as he held his sword before Maugrim, his face set. He looked more ready to face Maugrim than she had ever seen him before. Anna gripped her sword, watching her best friend as he and Maugrim circled each other.

Finally, Maugrim spoke. "You make thing you're a king," he said, his voice set in a low snarl, "but you're going to die . . . like a dog!" He launched himself into the air onto Peter, throwing him to the ground and Anna screamed, followed by Susan and Lucy.

_He's not moving,_ Anna thought as her legs suddenly developed a mind of their own, running towards Peter with Susan and Lucy right behind her. _Why isn't he moving?_ "PETER!" she shouted as she reached him, pushing the dead wolf off of Peter with Susan's help.

Peter slowly sat up, slightly dazed as he looked at the three girls. Anna flung her arms around his neck and his sisters piled onto the hug, nearly suffocating him as Aslan released the remaining wolf, who darted into the forest, before ordering Orieus and the others to follow him to find Edmund.

When Anna, Susan, and Lucy finally released Peter, Aslan turned towards the four, his expression unreadable. "Peter, Anna," he said, addressing the two sitting very close to one another. "Clean your swords."

Anna blinked; in her worry about Peter, she had forgotten that a sword should never be left unattended after use. She used the grass to clean her bloodied sword before she got to her feet with Peter, her stomach slightly nauseous as she realised what she had done. It was the first time that she had ever killed anything before. That information was a little hard to process as she looked at the great lion, who motioned them to join him.

"Now," Aslan instructed as he stood before them, "kneel." Peter shot Anna a curious look before he obeyed. Anna knelt down next to Peter, wondering what was happening, but she had the most curious feeling that she knew.

Aslan touched each of Peter's shoulders with his chin before doing the same with Anna. "Rise, Sir Peter Wolf's-Bane," he said quietly, "Knight of Narnia. Rise Lady Anna the Falcon, Lady Knight of Narnia." He smiled at their thrilled and surprised expressions. "And whatever happens, knights, do not forget to clean your swords."

--

Anna was walking outside that night, her hand on her sword as she stared out into the wilderness, a shiver travelling up her spine as she thought about a certain friend of hers who was being rescued from the Witch's clutches. How would things have turned out, had she had noticed Edmund's absence sooner? Would they be better or worse off?

She sighed; things wouldn't have changed a bit, if she had. Edmund's stubbornness astounded even her at times. He would have found a way to go to the Witch, despite her interference. And when that happened, things might have been worse off. Anna fiddled with the pendant she wore around her neck, her thoughts on Edmund as she felt someone walk up behind her.

Yanking out her sword, she spun around and pointed her sword directly at—

"Peter!" she hissed, so startled that she stumbled back a few feet. He had a shocked look on his face as he saw the sword pointed at him and she lowered it, the tension leaving her. "Don't you know you're not supposed to sneak up on people at night? You sing or talk or stomp your feet, do something to let them know that you're there."

"Sorry," Peter apologised, relieved now that she no longer had him at sword point. "I just went to your tent and you weren't there."

Anna sighed as she sat down in front of one of the many fires that crackled around the camp. Peter joined her. "I was just thinking about Edmund," she admitted softly. "I really hope he's all right. It might sound strange, but the four of you are more like family than my mum ever was."

"It's not strange," Peter assured her, placing his hand on hers. "You were a part of our family a long time ago, Anna." He paused. "Do you think we're ever going to go back home?"

Anna sighed. "I don't know and I'm not sure I even want to, Peter. I've felt more at home here than I've felt in a long time. Narnia . . . it feels like home and I've got the four most important people in my world here. There's nothing left for me back home."

"There's your dad."

Looking down at her hands, Anna shook her head. "My dad's dead, Peter," she said quietly. She still remembered the dream from the night before they found their way into Narnia, and that was the only interpretation that she could come up with.

Peter looked shocked at her declaration. "How do you know?" he asked, stunned and sympathetic.

"I just know." Anna looked up at her best friend. "I can't explain it, Peter, I just . . . I know. He's gone." Peter paused for a moment before his arms wrapped around her, drawing her against him and she pressed her cheek against his leather jerkin, the tears leaking out, streaming down her face.

Anna wasn't sure how long she stayed there in Peter's arms, but eventually, she must have drifted off to sleep, because the last thing she remembered him saying was, "You'll always be a part of this family, Anna. Always." And he kissed her forehead before pulling her deeper into his arms and she drifted into the most peaceful sleep she'd had in a long time.


	8. Edmund's Return

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Eight: Edmund's Return

The sun was shining brightly when Anna woke the next morning and she shifted, aware of how comfortable and peaceful she felt as she felt strong arms around her. Slowly, she opened her eyes to find Peter right next to her, his head only inches from hers and his arms wrapped protectively around her. Anna swallowed, her face slowly becoming heated as she slowly disentangled herself from her best friend.

"Peter," she whispered once she was free. "Peter, wake up, it's morning." He groaned slightly before blinking up at her, noticing the daylight.

"Have we been here all night?" he questioned and she nodded, giving him a wry smile before she got to her feet, straightening her gown as much as she could before she was going to even attempt to go and see his sisters. She had no doubt Susan would notice it—and guess the reason why her dress was so rumpled. Susan did have a knack for noticing such things.

"I'm going to go wash up," she said, praying he didn't notice how red her face was. "You should go and see if Edmund's gotten here yet." She hurried away before he could object and went to the river to do something about her gown and to get her thoughts in order before facing the Pevensies.

_Peter, how is it that you can have this simple of an affect on me?_ she thought as she stared down at her reflection, at her red face. Just a touch, a smile, a glance was enough to send shivers down her spine.

With a sigh, Anna stood up, smoothing out her gown once again before she turned around and came face to face with Aslan. "Oh!" she said, stumbling back in surprise. He smiled at her, chuckling as she straightened. "I'm sorry, Aslan, I didn't see you."

"No need to apologise, Anna. I wished to speak with you." He paused for a moment before turning, indicating she should follow him. Anna hesitated, but followed the lion away from the river, heading towards a cliff that overlooked the camp. Almost lying upon the horizon, she saw a beautiful castle that took her breath away. "That is Cair Paravel, the castle of the Four Thrones," he said, seeing where she was looking.

"Where Peter and the others are going to rule when this is over?" she asked and he nodded. She looked towards the castle. "Aslan, why was I brought here with the others?"

"I brought you here with them." Anna turned to look at him in surprise; he was looking at her, but rather at the camp. "For reasons that I cannot share with you at this time. All that you need to know is that you are needed here. Both for the battle . . . and for the times that will lie ahead of us. There will be a time, in the coming years, when you will be needed to protect this country."

"Why would I protect it?" Anna was bewildered. "I'm not part of the prophecy, I'm not supposed to rule here when this is over."

"No," Aslan agreed, "but prophecies don't know everything." He looked sad for a moment. "But it was not part of a prophecy that I chose you."

"Then why did you?"

"You choose a leader for their heart," Aslan answered. She froze is surprise, turning to the lion questioningly, the shock evident on her face. Leader? "Anna, you have proven over the course of the last few days to be a loyal and true friend. Simply by your friendship to the siblings, you ventured into a strange land and pursued by an evil witch simply to help them and keep them safe. And you would have willingly accepted death in order to save the sisters."

"Why did you name me a falcon?"

"The falcon is the winged lord of the skies. And you, Lady Anna, will one day find the courage to take up that name to protect Narnia. But the coming battle will be enough of a challenge for now, I think." He sighed. "You intend to fight alongside Peter, don't you?"

Anna blinked; she hadn't thought about it, but yes, she wasn't about to let her best friend go charging off to battle without her. "I need to be there, Aslan. If anything can be done to protect Peter . . ." Her voice shook slightly as she spoke and she didn't complete her thought. "I just need him to be safe. I need him to live."

"Love is often the most powerful tool in battle," Aslan mused. "Only that will give you the courage to fight when it is most needed. You are a very noble girl, Anna." He looked at her curiously. "Why do you not tell Peter how you feel about him?"

Feeling her face turn bright red, Anna looked down, clasping her hands together. "I . . . I don't know. He's my best friend and I don't want that to change. And . . . I'm only twelve years old. Aren't I a little young?"

Aslan smiled. "And how old, little one, do you have to be in order for your love to be true?" Anna had no answer for that. "Do not wait long to tell him. The battle will take all of your strength."

Anna frowned slightly at the way that he said that, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Aslan . . . you're speaking as though you're not going to be there," she said slowly, staring at the great lion, who met her gaze once before looking away from her. "You are going to be there, aren't you?"

"I can give you no promise of that." Aslan looked up at her. "Tell no one of this for now. Circumstances might prove that I will be unable to join you, but I can tell you this: be there for Peter and support him. You and your friends will be able to save this country from the Witch. You must have faith."

Anna looked towards where the Pevensies tents' were. "What will happen if we fail?"

"You already know the answer to that."

Looking towards the lion, Anna slowly nodded in understanding, shivering slightly. The Witch would cast her reign of terror even more dangerously than before. Anna wrapped her arms tightly around her before she looked at Aslan.

"Now, I would suggest going down to the tents and seeing Edmund. He'll be waking up soon. And I'm sure that you could use some practice with your sword before heading off to battle." Anna wasn't about to argue; she'd be lucky yesterday against that wolf. She didn't want to go riding off into battle only using her sword once.

Climbing down from the cliff, Anna headed towards the tents, where Susan and Lucy were already sitting down to breakfast and Peter was walking towards his sisters with . . . Edmund!

Edmund's eyes trained on her and a smile broke out across his face as he ran to her, hugging her tightly.

With a smile, Anna hugged him back, noting at once that he had multiple bruises across his face and several cuts. She felt tears spring into her eyes as she surveyed him up and down. "You look horrible," she observed and he managed a weak smile at her observance. "Come on, let's get some breakfast. I'm sure you haven't had a decent meal for awhile."

As she said that, Edmund's stomach rumbled, causing both of them to laugh and Anna pushed him towards the table as Peter walked over to him. "Are you okay?" he asked her and she nodded, looking towards his siblings. "You were gone awhile."

"Aslan wanted to talk," she explained, shrugging. At Peter's questioning look, she shook her head. "Don't worry about it; it's nothing. Com on, let's eat." She tugged on Peter's arm towards the table and reluctantly, he followed her, though he seemed to be deep in thought about something.

Anna noticed Peter wasn't eating much and was leaning against a rock, still perturbed about something. She didn't have to wait long to know what was going on when Lucy commented on Edmund's speedy eating. "I'm sure they'll pack something up for the journey back."

Susan looked up, her expression surprised, but hopeful. "We're going home?" she inquired.

"You are," Peter replied. Anna stared at him, angry. How dare he try and make decisions for her! She wasn't going anywhere, not if he was staying behind to face war and possibly death! "I promised Mum I'd keep you four safe. But that doesn't mean I can't stay behind and help."

"Over my dead body," Anna snapped, her anger showing. Everyone turned surprised eyes towards her; rarely had they ever heard the redhead show any anger. "I'm not going anywhere. Narnia has been more home than England ever was and . . . and I'm not going without you." She folded her arms defiantly when he opened his mouth to protest. "Don't even try and argue with me, Peter. You should know by now that it doesn't do any good."

He gave a small weak smile at her and nodded in submission. Peter knew her well enough to know that when she put her mind to something, there was no stopping her. "I know," he said softly.

"But you two can't do this on your own!" Lucy cried. "They _need_ us! All five of us!"

"Lucy, it's too dangerous," Peter protested, still trying to keep his siblings safe. "You and Anna almost drowned, Edmund was almost killed!"

Edmund had been silent thus far since Peter had made his announcement, but now he spoke. "Which is why we have to stay." Peter stared at him and Anna looked at the younger brother curiously. "I've seen what the White Witch can do . . . and I've helped her do it." The obvious shame was evident on his face. "And we can't leave this people behind to suffer for it!"

Pride filled through Anna as she looked at the boy she considered a brother, wrapping an arm around him gently. "They'll be calling you Edmund the Just in a few years," she commented. Edmund looked slightly embarrassed, but pleased.

"Thanks," he said as Susan stood up.

"Well, I suppose that's it, then," she said as she walked away from the table, picking up her quiver and arrows.

"Where are you going?"

"To get in some practice."

Anna smiled as Lucy hurried to catch up with her sister eagerly. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea," she said as she finished her last piece of toast. "Come on, Ed, let's go find you a sword and then I think the three of us should go and learn how to use them properly."

Peter sighed as he followed her through the camp, where Orieus was already waiting for them, with a sword and shield already ready for Edmund, though they were less extravagant than Peter's were. Edmund, however, made no complaints about them as he took them eagerly. Privately, Anna thought he was just glad to be there and away from the Witch's clutches.

Orieus partnered them up with some fauns and centaurs, teaching them how to use the sword effectively. After they'd gotten the hang of using the swords, they started learning how to fight on horseback. Peter rode on a beautiful white unicorn and Edmund was partnered with a brown horse that was named Philip.

Anna was shocked the first time that she'd heard the horses speak, though she thought that she'd be over the astonishment by this time. Her mount was a beautiful, chestnut mare named Bridget.

"Are you sure this is all right?" Anna asked as she climbed up onto the saddle awkwardly. She had never ridden like this before; she had only ridden side-saddle.

A small chuckle emerged from the mare's mouth. "It is my honour to be ridden by a human, my lady," she said. "Shall we practice?" Anna noticed that she had an eagerness in her voice; she was ready to go to battle.

"Yes," Anna said as she raised her sword to fight blows with Orieus while the brothers trained with each other. "Let's."

They hadn't been training very long when Mr. Beaver suddenly came racing towards them and Philip reared up in surprise, causing Edmund to grab the saddle to stay on. "The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan!" he shouted, causing everyone in the vicinity to look at each other in horror. "She's on her way here!"

Anna looked to Peter, whose expression was unreadable and he urged the unicorn forward. "Come on, let's get back to camp," he instructed as the girls came running up at the commotion. Susan climbed on with Peter while Lucy climbed up with Edmund as they raced back to camp, worry and alarm racing through their systems. What could the false queen possibly want?

When they reached the camp, Anna slid off of Bridget and hurried off with Peter and the others as they hurried to the front of the camp. Anna shivered at the chilly and foreboding atmosphere, even though the Witch hadn't arrived yet. It was only a matter of minutes, though. And sure enough, it didn't take long for the Witch to be carried into the camp by some Minatours, led by a dwarf, who announced her arrival.

"Jadis, the Queen of Narnia, Empress of the Lone Islands—" The dwarf's voice is drowned out as the camp threw insults at the Witch, all of which she ignored, her eyes focused on the lion and the five humans that had thrown her tyranny into turmoil.

"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan," she said softly. Anna's hands instantly placed on Edmund's shoulders as he looked down in shame, wondering what she wanted with Edmund.

But it didn't matter, because the Witch wasn't going to get her best friend's brother. Anna didn't care what happened to her; she could have her, if that meant that Edmund would go free.


	9. A Deadly Promise

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Nine: A Deadly Promise

The Witch seemed to grow delighted as she heard the crowd whisper to one another and watched Edmund shrink back away from her. Anna gripped his shoulders tightly, casting a quick glance at Peter before looking desperately at Aslan. If it was a choice between her and Edmund, then the Witch could have her.

"His offence was not against you," Aslan said, though his eyes trained on Anna for a moment. And she could almost hear his voice telling her to do nothing, that everything would be all right. But she couldn't force herself to calm down, not with Edmund trembling with fear between her and Peter and the Witch so close to capturing her hostage again.

"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" the Witch taunted and he growled at her.

"Do _not_ cite the Deep Magic to _me_, Witch!" he snarled at her. "I was there when it was written."

"Then you remember well that ever traitor belongs to me." The Witch was grinning in triumph, as though she thought that Aslan was surrendering Edmund to her. "His blood is my property."

Instantly, Anna pushed Edmund behind her, into Susan's arms, before pulling out her sword, holding it protectively in front of her. Peter had done the same, in the same moment.

"Try and take him, then!" he snapped, moving forward, his sword held out. Aslan looked at him sadly and the Witch turned to look at Peter fully for the first time, her cold, wintry eyes not at all concerned with facing more than a dozen swords—for Anna and Peter were not the only ones who had drawn their weapons to protect Edmund.

"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right . . . little King?" she queried before returning her attention to the lion. "Aslan knows that unless I have blood, as the law demands, then all of Narnia will be overturned in fire and water!" She had turned to the crowd by this time, all of whom were gasping in horror and terror. Pointing at Edmund, she proclaimed, "That boy will die on the Stone Table . . . as is tradition."

"No!" Peter growled.

"Enough!" Aslan growled at her. His voice was barely above a low rumbling in his throat. He looked at the Witch, his eyes narrowed. "I shall talk with you alone."

Anna only lowered her sword when the Witch had disappeared into the tent with Aslan and even then, she kept her sword on her hilt as she sheathed it, not daring to remove her hand as she sat down on the ground with the siblings. None of them spoke, unable to think of anything to say to comfort Edmund, who was sitting on the ground, tugging grass out of it.

Peter looked at Anna, the silent question in his eyes. _What do you think is going to happen? _

Reaching for his hand, Anna squeezed it, offering her reassurance and giving him a small, comforting smile. _Don't worry; I'm sure everything is going to be just fine._

Her best friend didn't look reassured, but he looked less tense than he had a moment ago as he squeezed her hand back, not letting go of it. They sat in the grass with his siblings, holding each other's hand, waiting for the judgement to fall.

They were in the tent a long time. So long, in fact, that Anna began to doubt her words to Peter. When they finally emerged, they scrambled to their feet, eyeing the Witch carefully as she made her way across the field and returned to her chair that the Minotaurs had carried her in with.

Everyone in vicinity looked towards Aslan, who had followed the Witch out with a heaviness weighing down upon him. There was a long, tense moment before he spoke.

"She has renounced her claim on the son of Adam's blood."

Cheers rang out across the camp and Anna let out a shriek of delight, hugging Peter tightly before releasing him, her face slightly red. All of this happened before the Witch said sharply to Aslan, "How do I know that your promise will be kept?"

Anna looked towards the Witch sharply before glancing at Aslan; promise? What promise?

Aslan growled at the Witch's accusation, causing her to sit down in her chair sharply. Laughter broke out across the camp as she was carried away from it, sitting straighter in her chair, no doubt preparing for the battle that was to come.

Edmund hugged Anna, startling her out of her thoughts as she hugged him back, relieved that he was safe and that the Witch wasn't going to kill him, but a deep worry had set in; what promise had Aslan given to the Witch?

Unfortunately, her concern set in all during the continued training that took place after a cheerful lunch. She had tried to act calm, but Peter, ever insightful, noticed that something was bothering her, but was tactful enough to wait until after dinner to talk to her about. She was heading back to her tent when he caught up with her.

"Anna, what's wrong?" he asked her, leading her away from the tent as Susan and Lucy headed inside. Edmund was heading into the tent he was sharing with Peter.

She looked down at the ground. "Nothing; what makes you think that something's wrong?"

"Because I know you."

Slowly, Anna looked up into his blue eyes, slightly comforted by the feel of his hand in hers. "I'm worried," she confessed, slowly sitting down next to one of the dying fires. Peter sat down with her, looking at her carefully. "I just . . . wish that we knew what promise Aslan made to the Witch. Something about it . . . it doesn't feel right, Peter. I've got this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, like something is going to happen. Like we're going to be going at this alone."

"You'll never be alone," Peter assured her, taking his hand in hers. "I'll always be right here with you." She smiled at him, but the worry was still hanging over us. "But you're right; there was something else going on than what was said. I don't like it either, but we have to trust that he's doing the right thing for all of us. And whatever it was, it did save Ed."

"And I'm grateful for that. But . . . I'm just worried." She smiled as she slowly stood up, heading towards the girls' tent. "Good night, Peter."

"Good night," he called after her. Anna could feel his gaze on her as he watched her go and she resisted the urge to shiver as she headed into the tent that she shared with Susan and Lucy. Susan was tucking Lucy into bed as she entered, the youngest sibling already asleep.

"Out like a light," Anna said, careful not to raise her voice to wake Lucy. "Least one of us is going to get some sleep around here." Susan smiled faintly as she stood up, sitting down on her own bed, but she didn't lie down. She looked about as wide-awake as Anna felt.

"What were you and Peter talking about?"

"Just some things," Anna said vaguely, not wanting to get into the discussion about Aslan's promise. "Susan . . . do you ever feel like that you've been holding something in for so long that you're about to explode, but you're afraid to tell this particular secret because you don't want to screw everything up, because you like things the way that they are?" Susan paused at the end of Anna's very long question and stood up, walking over to sit with Anna on her bed, her blue eyes serious.

"What kind of a secret are we talking about?" she asked and Anna looked down, not sure if she wanted to divulge the deepest secret that was engraved in her heart, even to Susan, who was closest to her next to Peter. "Anna, come on, I can't help you if you don't tell me."

Anna sighed, still not meeting Susan's eyes. "I—I love Peter," she finally forced out. Susan's eyes went wide at this confession, realisation sweeping over her.

"Ohhh . . . you mean more than a friend?" she asked. Neither one of the girls noticed that there was someone standing outside their tent, listening.

"Yes . . . it's been like this for a long time. I don't know when I stopped thinking of Peter as just a friend and started thinking of him as something more," Anna admitted, staring down into her hands. "Susan . . . whenever I'm around him . . . I feel like I can't breathe . . . and it just keeps getting worse. All it takes is a smile, a touch, a glance . . . and I feel like everything is . . ." She shook her head. "I can't even describe it. Have you ever felt like this?"

"No." Susan smiled, shaking her head. "Well, there was this one boy that I liked, but it was nothing like this. Nothing like the way that you're describing, Anna." She paused. "Have you tried telling Peter?"

"Oh, no," Anna said, shaking her head. "No, I can't tell him that, Sue. He . . . he's my best friend and I don't want to do anything to mess that up. Especially with the battle coming up. I don't want to distract him."

To her great surprise, Susan released a laugh that almost woke Lucy and both girls were quiet until they were sure that Lucy was sound asleep. "Distract him, you silly girl? For goodness sake, Peter is as crazy about you as you are about him!"

Anna stared at her. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about how every time he gets close to you, he looks like he's got a sunburn and how he's always holding your hand and watching you when he thinks nobody's watching." Susan shook her head. "Anna, don't you see? Peter is in love with you."

--

It took a long time for Anna to fall asleep after Susan's revelation to her, unable to believe what her friend had told her, but a part of her knew that it was true.

When she finally managed to slip into the dream world, she found herself being pulled away, to another place, where events were taking place at that very moment, where Susan and Lucy had slipped away with Aslan and were watching as Anna dreamed the events.

_There were dozens upon dozens of creatures of the night, those who thrived in darkness as Anna stood in the midst of them, a mere observed, unable to change the events as she watched the Witch stand on top of the Stone Table, where Aslan was slowly making his way to her. The creatures were backing away with fear and apprehension as he finally came to a stop. _

_"Behold, the Great Lion." The Witch's voice was filled with an odd sense of triumph as she looked down at him. Anna's blood had frozen in fear as she watched the events unfold, unable to stop them. _

_Without warning, the Minotaur who commanded her army struck out at Aslan, sending him to the ground. Anna wanted to scream, but she had no voice as she watched the lion bound and gagged before he was humiliated, his mane sawed off and the knives torn into his flesh. _

_"Bring him to me," the Witch told them. Aslan was dragged harshly up on the Stone Table. Anna couldn't help but feel proud as Aslan didn't struggle against them, just accepted whatever they were doing. And she knew, deep within her, that he was doing this for them, for Edmund. _

_The taunts and jeering from the crowd slowly began to rise and Anna could feel silent tears swarming down her cheeks as she watched this, her feet frozen where she stood, her hands clasped over her mouth as she sobbed. _

_The Witch threw out her hand, silencing them before they began a slow and steady beat. _

_Anna wished that she couldn't hear the Witch's words to Aslan, but she could; she could hear ever word. "You know, Aslan, I'm a little disappointed in you. Did you honestly think that by all of this, you could save the human traitor? You are giving me your life and saving no one." She let out a short laugh. "So much for love," she taunted him. _

_Anna could only watch Aslan through her tears and his eyes trained on her for a moment, as though he could see her there, before they focused on something else behind her. She turned and saw Susan and Lucy hiding in the trees near the Witch and her followers. What were they doing here? Why were they in the tent?_

_But her attention was brought back to the events as the Witch spoke to her followers. "Tonight . . . the Deep Magic will be appeased. But tomorrow," she added, her voice filled with a sick sense of triumph, "we will take Narnia forever!" The crowd around her was cheering with delight as she looked down at Aslan. It was then that Anna saw the knife in her hands. "In that knowledge," she said, raising the knife, "despair . . . and die!" _

The moment that the knife met Aslan's flesh, Anna released a bloodcurdling scream that brought Peter and Edmund running from their tent, weapons drawn. When they saw nothing in her tent, Peter ran to Anna, sobbing as she gripped her red hair tightly, rocking back and forth, and scooped her up into his arms.

"Anna, what is it? What's wrong?" He sounded panicked and fearful as he held her, cradling her gently.

"Peter . . . it's Aslan. He's dead."


	10. Preparing for Battle

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Ten: Preparing for Battle

Peter held her tightly as Edmund took a step back, his eyes wide with shock and horror. "Shh, Anna, it's okay," he assured her, stroking her red hair affectionately. "It was just a dream, it wasn't real. Aslan's not dead." Anna shook her head as she buried her face into his chest, her body shaking with sobs at the dream.

She couldn't explain to Peter that she knew what she saw was real, because she could feel it, deep within her? Tears swarmed her vision as Edmund hesitantly walked over to them, placing a hand on her shoulder before he joined in on the embrace. Between the two boys that she cared about most, Anna almost could believe that it was just a dream, that what she had seen wasn't real.

Almost.

But it all came to a halt when the door to the tent flapped open and leaves flew inside. Peter sprung to his feet, startling Anna and yanked out his sword, directing towards the leaves as they swarmed into a woman. No, not a woman, a dryad.

She held up her hand to stop Peter from attacking. "Be still, my Princes." Her voice was soft and mystical, but carrying a hint of sadness in them. Anna felt her blood turn cold at the sound of it; she knew that she carried terrible news. "I bring grave news from your sisters."

Peter went pale as he slowly lowered his sword away from the dryad, listening intently as Anna slowly stood up, still shaking, the aftermath of her dream, walking over to her best friend, his brother right behind her. All of them knew, she thought, an instant before the dryad said it.

"Aslan is dead."

No one moved, no one even breathed. All any of them could do was stare at the dryad, shocked by the revelation that Anna had given herself only moments before and Peter looked as though he were frozen on the spot. Edmund was pale and Anna wanted to crawl into the furthest corner of the tent and hide there. This was her fault . . .

"What?" Edmund finally whispered, his voice shaking as he spoke. The dryad looked at him, her own emotions showing into her face.

"He is gone," she whispered, her mystical voice unsteady. "Killed by the White Witch." Anna backed away from the dryad, the guilt rising through her and she fled, running as fast as she could, not able to meet Peter's eyes as she ran away from the brothers.

"My fault," she whispered when she reached the river where just yesterday, she had met with Aslan and he'd spoken to her about her place in this country. "It's my fault!" she screamed at the sky, not sure who she was screaming at. She could've been screaming at herself, at Narnia, or the universe at large.

Anna yanked out her sword and brought it down on a rock, bits of rock sprayed as the stone met her blade. She brought it down again and again until she'd smashed the rock into two and she sank down onto her knees, whispering "my fault" over and over again.

"It's not your fault," Edmund said from behind her. Anna turned around to see the younger brother behind her. She pushed away the tears she hadn't realised that had gathered there. "Just because you had a dream doesn't make it your fault, Anna. You dreamt it, you didn't cause it."

"You don't know that." Anna had dropped her sword onto the ground, curling her legs up underneath her as she sniffled, trying to calm herself, but she couldn't find the words.

"You don't know that it is," Edmund responded. She glanced up at him, startled. He walked closer to her, holding out her hand. "Come on, Peter's at Aslan's tent, to see if what the dryad said was really true. If it is . . . then we're going to be going to battle. And we're going to need you on board, if you're still planning to fight."

"Peter . . ." Anna shook her head, not taking Edmund's hand just yet. "How can I even face him? Ed . . . I saw it, I dreamed it, it makes it my fault." She looked away, wiping away the tears that still streamed down her face.

"No, it doesn't," Edmund said, sounding exasperated with her. "Look at me, does it look like I'm blaming you for this?" She turned and saw that he didn't have a single accusation look on his face. "Because I don't. It's not your fault, Anna. It's mine. And for the record, Pete doesn't blame you either."

"He doesn't?"

"Nah." Edmund grinned at her and she gave a small, watery smile back. "He's just worried about you. Now come on." Anna paused, the tears not having evaporated yet, but she was crying less than she had before. She finally accepted Edmund's offered hand and he helped her up before they headed back to the camp.

They were about halfway to Aslan's camp when Anna stopped short, turning to look at the younger Pevensie brother. "Ed . . . what did you mean by it was your fault?" she asked, frowning towards him. Edmund looked down, shame evident in his face.

"It's because of me that he's . . . don't you see? This was the promise that he made to the Witch so she wouldn't kill me." His face crumpled and Anna's heart broke. She drew him into her arms, holding him tightly against her. Edmund's arms wrapped around her as he sought comfort.

"No, Edmund, it's not your fault." She pulled away just enough to look at him in the eyes. "If it's not my fault, then it's not yours either. Aslan must have known what he was doing."

Edmund nodded, but it was clear that he didn't believe it. "He must have. Listen to me, Ed, you made a choice. The wrong one, but you made it. But that doesn't mean that you have to be condemned for all of eternity for that choice. You've got the chance to make up for your mistake, that's something that few people have."

"You think?" Anna nodded and he smiled up at her. "All right. Let's go find Peter."

They walked together until they reached the front of the camp, where Orieus was standing outside of Aslan's tent, his expression unreadable as Anna wiped away the last of her tears just as Peter came outside, looking relieved as he saw the two of them, but his face was filled with grief.

"She's right," he said quietly, looking older than Anna had ever seen him. It seemed that in only a few days, he had grown older. They all had. "He's gone." He placed his hands on the table that had the map of Narnia on it.

Anna, Orieus, and Edmund all looked at each other before Edmund looked to his brother. "Then you'll have to lead us," he said quietly. But Peter didn't answer, nor did he look at his brother or best friend. "Peter, there's an army out there and it's ready to follow you."

"I can't!"

"Aslan believed you could!" Edmund insisted, but that didn't cause Peter to change his mind. "And so do I."

Peter looked up at his statement before looking at Anna. She smiled at him through her grief and walked over to him, placing her hand on top of his and squeezing it tightly and tenderly. "We all do," she said softly, looking at him into the eyes.

At that moment, she wouldn't have cared if the Witch herself was on the approach, heading straight for them. In that moment, she saw love and adoration in his eyes that she had never seen before and she slowly started to believe what Susan had said the previous night was true; the feelings that existed within her was completely mutual.

But she was pulled back into the present, drawing her eyes away from Peter as Orieus said quietly, "The Witch's army is moving, sire. What are your orders?"

--

The rest of the morning was spent planning and strategising for the battle that was looming ever so closer. In the end, Peter planned out a simple strategy, with a second wave of attack coming from the ridge above where the battle would take place. Edmund was put in charge of the second wave, though he protested at first.

"Ed, I want you there to lead the archers," Peter insisted when his brother put up a protest. Anna was listening closely, her heart faltering when she heard his words. "And to get the girls home . . . should something happen." His voice trembled slightly as he said that, but otherwise gave no other sign of how afraid he was of the coming battle.

Edmund swallowed, the realisation that he could lose his brother hitting him in full. But he nodded, accepting the duty that Peter had put him in charge of, before Peter walked over to Anna.

"Anna, I want you to go with Ed on the ridge," he told her. But she glared up at him, shaking her head in defiance. "Please?"

"No."

"Come on, Anna—"

"I said no, Peter Pevensie," Anna retorted, standing up. "And I meant no. Listen to me, I love Edmund, he's like my brother and I don't want anything to happen to him, but that does not mean that I can let you go off on the front lines without me."

Peter looked helplessly at her, the desperation evident in his eyes. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Raising her head, she looked at him, her hands placed on her hips. "That," she said quietly, "is exactly my point." She didn't want him to get hurt either and both of them knew it. For better or for worse, they were together in this one. "I'm going with you, Peter. No matter what happens, you've got me by your side. Remember last night when you said that you were going to be right here with me? Well I'm holding you to that now. Side by side, together, in the middle of battle."

Slowly, Peter laced her fingers into his, raising her hand up and kissing her knuckles. A shiver went down her spine at the sensation and he smiled at her nodding in reluctant acceptance, neither one of them having noticed that Edmund had left. But they were also completely unaware that anybody else was there, if they had been. King Peter and Lady Anna had been left alone, for the moment.

Peter slowly reached for her, drawing her close and she laid her head onto his shoulder, not caring what he thought or who was watching. She just needed to be here, in his arms, before she went to battle. That was all that she wanted.

"Anna?" he whispered softly, his lips close to her ear and she raised her head to look at him. He was pale and looked awkward and nervous as he stood there, holding her. "I . . ."

When he didn't finish his thought, she slowly shifted in his embrace, pulling away just enough so that she could look at him in the eyes. "You what?" she whispered.

His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. He took a deep breath, then shook his head. "Nothing," he said softly, looking away. "Never mind."

"Peter . . ." Anna had no idea what she was going to say and instead, she reluctantly pulled away from him. "I should go get ready. The centaurs said that they had some armour for us."

"Right." Peter let go of her and she slowly walked away, not letting go of his hand until she was forced to. And as she left her best friend standing on that pavilion, she had the odd sensation of an opportune moment passed by.

Anna walked into her tent to find a female centaur named Veleda, already prepared for battle, with a battle dress lying out on her bed. She stared at it for a long moment before looking at Veleda. "Aslan was prepared for the five of you," she said with a smile. "And wanted you to be protected."

The gown was made of a deep purple, with chain-mail underneath to protect her, as well as armour across the chest with leather melded into the armour in a vest-like fashion. It was a gown made for a warrior princess. There were bracers on each arm made of brown leather.

Anna smiled faintly as she slowly changed, preparing herself for battle. Veleda helped her change into the gown, which was surprisingly comfortable. She strapped her sword to her side, slipping the necklace that she hadn't worn since she'd received it from Father Christmas underneath as she and Veleda walked outside.

Bridget was waiting for her outside of the tent. "Are you ready, my lady?" she asked as Anna climbed onto her.

Pausing for a moment as she adjusted her skirts, Anna realised that she was ready. "Like I've been waiting for this moment my entire life," she admitted, causing the mare to chuckle.

"I know the feeling."

Setting her face in a determined fashion, Anna gathered the reins in her hands. She was ready. _They_ were ready.

Now, on to battle.

AN: For a better description of Anna's battle gown, just look for a picture of Susan's night raid dress from "Prince Caspian." That's just how I pictured the outfit. Don't sue me!

The Lady of the Mists


	11. The Battle of Beruna

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Eleven: The Battle of Beruna

The sun had risen high over the trees and onto the great valley of Beruna where the battle was to take place. Anna sat astride Bridget next to Peter as they waited with the army for the Witch and her force to arrive. Waiting was the worst of it, Anna thought warily, because all of them knew what they were waiting for.

Battle . . .

Possibly gruesome death . . .

Waiting to die, waiting to live . . .

There was no way to tell whether or not they would survive the next few hours—or minutes, depending on how long the battle would take place—no safe way to be sure that she would survive to see her friends again or if they would be alive for her to see.

Anna's heart pained at the very thought of it, losing her friends . . . losing Peter, who unknowingly held her heart. The very thought of it was more than she could bear.

_"You and your friends will be able to save this country from the Witch. You must have faith."_

Aslan's voice spoke gently to her as she gripped Bridget's reins. Anna took a deep breath, letting his words wash over her, calming her. They would survive. She had to have faith in that.

Peter's hand suddenly slipped into hers and she jumped, looking at him questioningly as his armoured hand tightened around hers. "There's still time for you to get to the ridge," he reminded her. She gave him a small smile and shook her head.

"Not a chance." Anna smiled towards him, though, and leaned towards him, kissing his cheek. He turned red as she did this and she grinned up at him. "Don't die," she told him cheerfully.

"I won't if you won't," he assured her. Anna nodded in reassurance, erecting her head so that she was looking towards where the Witch's army was on the approach, glancing up as a gryphon flew towards them, circling around the army before landing on Anna's opposite, looking towards the Lady and the High King.

If they survived this, anyway.

"They come, Your Highness," he said, panting for breath as he looked towards the horizon. "In numbers and weapons for greater than our own." The worry in his eyes was evident.

"Numbers do not win a battle," Orieus said darkly. Peter glanced at the general in agreement.

"No," he agreed. "But I bet they help." Anna bit her lip as she heard the sound of a horn coming from ahead. Instantly, her hand went to her sword, gripping the hilt tightly. Bridget let out a soft, worrying neigh as the ground vibrated underneath them.

Anna gulped, her hand trembling slightly as she saw a faint outline on the horizon, growing bigger by the instant. The Witch's army had arrived and all of them were heading towards them.

As the gryphon had already informed them, it was much bigger than they had been expecting. Countless animals and dark creatures were heading towards them, the look in their eyes evident even from the distance; they were ready for the kill. Anna's stomach clenched tightly and she wondered briefly how her father had felt when he had headed off to battle.

Peter drew his sword, holding it up and the sun made it glow, illuminating the blade like a star. The Narnians roared behind them and the sound was welcome to Anna's ears.

The Witch's army moved forward, swarming towards them, destroying everything in their path, everything that they touched.

Bringing his sword down, Peter gave the signal to Edmund, who signalled the gryphons to begin the aerial attack. Moving as one, the gryphons, eagles, and countless other winged animals began the attack, taking to the sky and dropping boulders and debris onto the enemy. The moment that the first boulder hit, they had alerted the enemy to what they were attempting and arrows flew through the air to take them down. Anna felt like crying every time one of them fell, but she didn't.

_Stay strong,_ she told herself firmly. _Be brave. Make their deaths worth something. Don't let today end in defeat. _

Peter looked to Orieus, who was watching the battle with a grim look on his face. "Are you with me?"

Orieus turned towards the King and gave a small, half-smile. "To the death," he replied.

With a small smile, Peter looked to Anna, who turned her blue eyes towards him once again. It felt like they were back at the tent, when he had been trying so desperately to tell her something, but unable to say the words. And now it was Anna who was unable to find the words that were imprinted in her heart. She turned her head back towards the battle as Peter raised his sword once again and she drew out her own, gripping it tightly.

"For Narnia and for Aslan!" Peter roared. The unicorn he rode reared up before charging into battle. Anna and Orieus moved straight after him with the rest of the Narnian army behind them.

"Stay with me, Bridget," Anna whispered to the mare.

"Always, my lady," Bridget replied as they charged towards the approaching enemy. For a moment, everything seemed quiet, the calm before the storm. And then, as the first two opponents struck, everything was as it was before, the enemies striking.

Anna gripped her sword tightly as she swung it, plunging it into the first opponent that met it. When there were that many enemies heading towards her, there was only one thing that she could think of to do and that was to strike anything that came near her.

She had lost sight of Peter in the midst of the battle, though she looked for him. Even in the midst of battle, she tried to keep her lookout for her best friend. For one instant, she saw him being swarmed by enemies and in that instant, she was distracted.

"My lady!" Bridget cried out in warning and Anna looked around to see a Minotaur swinging his deadly axe towards the Lady and mare. Anna grimaced as she ducked, Bridget moving away just in time, but the axe grazed her shoulder. Fighting the urge to cry out, Anna moved her sword to strike the Minotaur in the weakest spot she could find, its neck.

Yanking her sword out, Anna grasped her arm where she was bleeding slightly, but ignored it as she urged Bridget towards where Peter was still swarmed, fighting off everything that came near him. Frantic, Anna grabbed a fallen sword off the ground and threw it towards a Minotaur that had Peter close to death. It implanted itself in his neck just as they reached Peter and he sent her a grateful look.

But there was no time for thanks as so many of the Witch's army swarmed the King and Lady. Anna grunted as a winged gremlin took a shot towards her, narrowly missing her, but nearly knocking her off of Bridget as she heard the mystical and beautiful cry of the phoenix.

"Peter!" Anna called and he glanced up, a relieved look crossing his face as they struck down the last of the enemies that had surrounded them just before the phoenix took a dive towards the ground. It was a beautiful sight as the phoenix flew like lighting across the battlefield, leaving a roaring flaming wall in her path and cutting off the Witch from our side of the battlefield.

"Yes!" Anna grinned in triumph, but she had spoken too soon. A chill swept over her and freezing winds swept through the fiery wall before it was taken down completely.

"Fall back!" Peter shouted as the enemies swarmed through the broken wall. "Draw them to the rocks!" Orieus signalled the retreat with a blow on his horn and Anna turned with Bridget, staying alongside Peter as they raced towards the ridge.

They were almost to the rocks when Anna realised that Peter was no longer next to her and she whirled around, searching for him. Her eyes widened when she saw that he was lying on the ground, the unicorn right next to him.

With a gasp, she turned Bridget around. "Hurry, hurry," she whispered, fear striking her heart as they reached Peter and she jumped off of Bridget, racing towards Peter, turning him over. Relief surged through her as she realised that he was all right. "Peter, come on, you have to get up!" she shouted to him, her voice tense and strained from both exhausted and panic.

Peter winced as he got to his feet, but his eyes widened. "Stop!" he yelled to someone behind her. Anna barely had time to look to see Orieus racing past them, heading straight towards the Witch. There was no time to run to him and help as he swung towards her, trying to take her down, but her wand touched his side and tears swarmed down Anna's cheeks as he was turned to stone.

And that was all the time they had before enemies started swarming around them, attempting to destroy the last bit of hope that Narnia had left and end the rebellion. There was no time to get to Bridget as she reared up, taking down what enemies she could, but separating herself from her rider.

Anna herself was with Peter, back to back as they fended off enemies, both of them defending the other. If they were going to die, then they were going to die together.

The second wave had already arrived, but they were doing no better than they had before they arrived. Too many of them were falling and their numbers were slowly dwindling. Anna caught sight of Edmund as he battled through the field, a determined look on his face.

"Edmund!" Peter shouted, his face filled with despair as both he and Anna fought off the enemies. "There's too many of them! Get out of here! Get the girls and get them home!" His brother hesitated at the order, but Beaver grabbed his hand and tugged him away.

Despair filled through Anna; they were losing. They had gone through all of this and for what? To lose right when it mattered most? Anna plunged her sword into another opponent, striking at whatever came close when Peter grabbed her arm.

"Go with Edmund," he said fiercely. She shook her head.

"No, not without you," she said stubbornly. He opened his mouth to argue but something strange caught her eyes and Anna turned around to see Edmund and the Witch. The glint had been him destroying her wand, preventing her from turning anyone else into stone. But it also left him open to attack, as she drove the broken wand with its sharp end into his stomach.

"EDMUND!" Peter howled as his brother fell, driving his sword into a Minotaur before hurling towards the Witch in rage. Anna would've gone to help him had she not fallen prey to some wolves and gremlins at that same moment.

Even as she fought desperately against them, she had the oddest sensation of hope surging through her. Anna would've looked around for what had caused that, but she was too busy trying to stay alive.

But everyone fighting looked up when they all heard the most unlikely sound: the roar of a lion.

Anna spun around towards where it had come from, her blue eyes widening when she saw Aslan atop of the cliff, the almighty roar coming from him as Susan and Lucy and so many other creatures swarmed around him, hurrying to join them.

Unable to believe the turn of events, Anna returned to her battle, a renewed sense of victory washing over her. Just as she downed her last attacker, she heard Peter's yell and turned.

Her best friend was under attack by the Witch, a sword pinning him to the ground and the Witch herself was holding a sword at his throat. Anna let out a roar of fury as she ran towards him, her sword ready as she held it high, ready to defend Peter when Aslan appeared out of nowhere and tackled the Witch, sending her flying away from Peter.

Anna raced to Peter's side and pulled the sword free before hurling her arms around his neck tightly. He held her tightly, gripping her hair tightly as he kissed her forehead tenderly. For a moment, neither one of them moved or even breathed. They just held on to one another.

"Peter!"

Both of them looked around to see Susan and Lucy running towards them and Anna, blushing, pulled away from Peter as they got to their feet, Lucy hugging her older brother tightly. Susan, however, looked towards where Aslan was standing, over the Witch's prone body, and Anna followed her gaze.

The Witch was dead.

An odd sense of relief washed over Anna, followed by one of dread as Susan looked at her and Peter. "Where's Edmund?"

Anna felt the blood drain from her face as she looked towards where Edmund had fallen and as one, all four of them ran towards the spot. A dwarf was raising an axe to finish Edmund off when Susan drew an arrow and fired, hitting the dwarf in the heart.

Edmund was breathing heavily and unsteadily as they arrived. Susan pulled her little brother's head into her lap as Anna and Peter knelt down beside him, Peter's face filled with grief. Lucy was pulling her cordial out and carefully navigated a drop to fall into Edmund's mouth.

The younger brother moistened his lips as the juice found its way into his system. Anna could only watch helplessly, hoping, _praying _that it would work, that Father Christmas's words had run true. Her hands were trembling as they covered her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Come on, please work," she whispered. For a moment, it seemed that they'd gotten there too late; that Edmund was beyond saving. But then, he gave a small, tiny cough before blinking up at them, his eyes clear and lucid.

Susan let out a laugh of relief and Anna fell back slightly. Peter grabbed Edmund, yanking him into a tight hug of relief. "When are you gonna learn to do are your told?" he demanded.

Everyone laughed as they piled on to one another, pulling Anna into the hug as well as they rejoiced in the happenings. They had gone to battle and all of them were safe and alive.

Nothing could have spoiled Anna's mood as they held on to one another while Aslan unfroze the statues that the Witch's wand had created and Lucy hurried to heal the wounded with her cordial.

But something happened that day to make it even better. Just as Edmund and Susan left to help Lucy with the wounded, Peter pulled Anna into his arms, holding her close, his hands sweeping through her hair.

"Peter?" Anna whispered, not understanding what was going on. Not until he drew her lips against his, pulling her into a kiss that she had not been expecting, nor had she expected the rush of emotions that swirled through her, almost overwhelming her. "Peter?" she asked again when he pulled back, staring up at him in astonishment.

"I love you," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. Anna couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face at his admission.

"I love you, too," she whispered.


	12. Coronation, Wedding, and Despair

**The Lost Queen**

by the Lady of the Mists

Chapter Twelve: Coronation, Wedding, and Despair

Anna stood in the front of the crowd in the throne room of Cair Paravel, donned in a beautiful blue-green satin gown and her red hair pulled into an elegant braid as the music began to play, announcing the approach of the four new rulers of Narnia. As Peter walked with his siblings through the room with Aslan, he grinned towards her, giving her a small wink.

Peter, after he'd told her he loved her, confessed that he had been listening to her and Susan's conversation that day in the tent. Although she blushed violently at the thought of him hearing everything that she'd said that night, she was glad that he knew. And the revelation that he felt the same way made her heart soar. Nothing in her entire life could have prepared her for this moment or the events that had surrounded it. They had been sent away so not to get involved in a war, only to end up ending one.

After getting approval from Aslan, Peter had told her that he was granting her lordship over the large forest north of Cair Paravel called Owlwood, knowing she wasn't going to be satisfied with just sitting around the castle, but wasn't about to send her too far away.

With a smile back at Peter, Anna watched as Aslan turned towards the awaiting crowd, all of whom seemed to be holding their breath. Tumnus the faun, along with the Beavers, approached the four Kings and Queens, carrying the crowns that had been fashioned for them.

"To the Glistening Eastern Sea," Aslan began, "I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant." Lucy beamed in delight as Tumnus placed a beautiful silver laurel to her hair and he smiled back at her before moving back to the Beavers to lift a silver crown off of the pillows.

"To the Great Western Wood," Aslan continued in his booming voice, "I give you King Edmund the Just."

Edmund grinned towards Anna, who fought a small smile as she remembered her words from . . . had it just been a few days ago? It seemed like weeks, she thought musingly as Tumnus placed the crown on the younger King's head.

"To the Radiant Southern Sun," Aslan added, "I give you Queen Susan the Gentle." Tumnus placed a ring of golden flowers onto Susan's head before retrieving the last crown, a golden one, and moved to the eldest Pevensie.

"And to the clear Northern Sky," Aslan concluded, "I give you King Peter the Magnificent." The moment that Tumnus placed the golden crown on Anna's best friend's head, the throne room exploded in cheers and laughter. "Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen. May your wisdom guide us until the stars rain down from the heavens."

"Long live King Peter!"

"Long live King Edmund!"

"Long live Queen Susan!"

"Long live Queen Lucy!"

Anna cheered with the rest of them as the coronation ended and the celebrations began. As she stepped through the room, many of the Narnians stop to bow or nod in respect to her.

She hadn't noticed Peter following her until he had taken her hand, squeezing it tightly as he grinned down at her. "Did you really think I was going to let you slip away?" he asked, tilting her head up. Anna smiled towards the High King.

"Am I that obvious?" she asked, her eyes twinkling. Peter chuckled and took her hand as a slow waltz began to play.

"Dance with me?" he questioned and she nodded as he led her out onto the dance floor, taking her into his arms as he placed his arm around her waist and took her other on, leading her in the dance.

No one dared interrupt the High King or Lady of Owlwood as they moved silently on the dance floor, neither one of them speaking, but revelling in the first dance that they ever had with one another. Anna, though hesitant at first, laid her head down on Peter's chest, her eyes closing at the feeling.

She couldn't help but marvel at the strength of the feelings that swarmed through her as Peter held her in his arms. She had known that she had been in love with Peter for so long that sometimes, she doubted that she would ever be able to confess to him the depths of her feelings for him. To learn that his feelings for her were just as strong as hers was something of a shock and something she was still coming to terms with.

"Did you ever think that we were going to end up this way?" Peter asked so softly that she almost didn't hear him. Raising her head slightly, she smiled up at him.

"No."

"Liar."

Anna laughed as she laid her head down on him once again. "Never." She never could have, in her wildest dreams, imagined all of this. If someone had told her that she would have fought alongside Peter and Edmund in a battle against a witch and that her friends would be the rulers of a magical land, then she probably would have told them that they were crazy.

But then again, if she told anybody that this was how they spent their escape from the war, then they would probably lock her up in a mental institution so fast it would make her head spin. She smiled at the thought as she looked up at Peter.

"Did you?" she asked and he chuckled, shaking his head.

"I never could have come up with something this crazy," he replied, tweaking her nose affectionately. "Just promise me something, Anna." She looked up at him expectantly. "Don't leave me."

She chuckled. "I won't, Peter, I promise." As he twirled her around before catching her free hand and drawing her against him, she sealed her promise with a kiss, wondering how she could have gotten so lucky.

--

It was four years, almost to the day, before High King Peter and Lady Anna were finally wed. The summer that she turned sixteen, the entire country was in high celebration for the royal wedding. Invitations were sent out to all of the surrounding nations to attend the wedding of the High King to his queen.

Anna was a bundle of nerves on her wedding day, so much that Susan, more than once, had to go into her bedchambers and calm her down. Her gown was made of the finest Narnian silks with pearls sewn into the bodice. She wore the necklace that was her present from Father Christmas and the veil fell around her like a waterfall.

The day that she took Peter as her husband, Anna felt as though everything were finally in place, as though all was right with the world, as though nothing could spoil it. But she should have known that their happiness was too wonderful for it to last.

Their marriage lasted eleven years before everything was torn apart. She had eleven wonderful years with her husband and their siblings—for Susan, Edmund, and Lucy were her family as much as they were Peter's—before they were taken away from her.

Despite Anna's fears, Bridget had not fallen that day in battle and the High Queen and mare had ridden faithfully together since then, even though Bridget was getting on in years and had borne two foals, one of whom had foals of her own now.

Anna remembered when the rumours of the White Stag had come to the castle, that it would grant any wish of those who caught it. But she didn't particularly want anything; she already had everything that her heart desired. Still, she rode with her family that day into the forest that had started everything so long ago.

She was racing Peter when they noticed the girls had turned back for Edmund, who had slowed. "Come on, Ed," Susan said, her voice tilted with laughter.

"Just catching my breath," Edmund to her.

"Well, that's all we'll catch at this rate!" Susan said, her blue eyes twinkling as the royal couple rode back towards them.

"What did he say again, Susan?" Anna asked her sister, amusement evident in her voice, but it was Lucy who replied.

"'You girls wait in the castle, I'll get the stag myself!'" she said in a perfect imitation of Edmund's tone back at Cair Paravel. Even Edmund joined in the laughter just as Peter noticed the strange tree that was standing near where they were.

"What's this?" he questioned. Anna slid off Bridget to join her husband, slipping her hand into his as they gazed up at the tree. Their siblings walked towards them, frowning slightly. "It seems familiar."

"As if from a dream," Susan whispered softly as she stared up at it. "Or a dream of a dream."

Lucy's eyes widened as she stood deep in thought for a few minutes, gazing up at the tree. "Spare Oom?" she whispered, a hint of remembrance in her voice. Before anyone could stop her, she suddenly took off through the trees, as per her usual habits.

"Not again!" Susan complained as they raced after her. Anna paused to retrieve Susan's horn from her saddlebag; they tended to need that gift whenever they left it behind.

Once she had the horn in hand, Anna hurried towards where Peter and the others had gone. "Peter?" she called for her husband, but there was no answer. Panic rose through her as she pushed her way through the trees, searching for her family.

"PETER!" Anna shouted, terror plunging through her, straight into her heart as she raced wildly around for any sign of where her husband had disappeared to. "Susan! Lucy! Edmund! Where are you?"

Suddenly, her hand pushed against something and she realised that she had met a back of a wardrobe.

Something trickled through her mind as she pushed against it, trying to find her way through. There was something familiar about this and a part of her knew that somehow, Peter and his siblings had been lost to her. They had been taken away, back to their world. And she was left alone, in Narnia.

--

It was hours before the High Queen returned to the castle alone and her ladies questioned her endlessly about the whereabouts of the other Kings and Queens, but Anna only told them that they were gone, unable to tell them what had happened. She wasn't even sure how it had happened herself or why she was still here. After all, she had arrived in Narnia with Peter and the others, so why was she still here and they were not?

Once she had revealed that their beloved rulers were gone, Anna was left alone to her grief and she fell onto the ground, sobs racking her body and she screamed endlessly for Peter, her beloved husband, her sisters, and her brother, not letting herself get up until she had run out of tears.

But she couldn't force herself to leave her bedchamber until Aurora, one of her nymph ladies who was also her dearest friend, came into her chamber hesitantly. "Your Highness," she said hesitantly upon seeing the High Queen sitting so brokenly on the ground, "Aslan is here to see you."

Anna raised her head towards Aurora and nodded mutely; she had known he would be here, had expected him to come from the moment that Peter had been ripped away from her. "Bring him here," she requested. She had no desire to leave just yet.

The moment that Aslan entered the room and the door closed, leaving them alone, she shrieked at the great lion, "Why did you do this?"

Aslan sighed as he moved closer to her, but she took a step back, the anger and pain in her heart too great to be kind right now. "It was his time, Anna," he said softly, his eyes looking at her sympathetically. "It was all of their time."

"Then it should have been mine!" she hurled at him, snatching up a crystal figurine that had been a gift from the King of Archenland and throwing it against the wall, shattering it to pieces. Aslan didn't even flinch. She didn't care that she was being childish; she was furious.

"I'm sorry, but it wasn't, High Queen," he told her kindly. Anna raised her head to look at him, feeling much like a girl of twelve than a woman of twenty-seven. "Fifteen years ago, when you first arrived her, you asked me why you were brought here. Do you remember?"

Anna paused, her mind travelling back to that day on the cliff, when she had stood with Aslan, staring over at what would one day her and Peter's castle, where they would share happiness and joy. "You told me that I was needed here, to one day protect Narnia."

"And that time is now," Aslan said quietly, walking towards her again. This time, Anna did not move away. "I chose you, because you were meant to be High Queen and now it is up to you to protect it from the ones who will seek to destroy this land. I cannot leave it leaderless."

For a moment, Anna stood silenced, the despair for her lost husband almost riding her down. But Peter had brought this country together and all of them had kept it together. Now it was up to her to keep the legacy that they had kept together.

"When will I be able to return?"

"You already know the answer to that." Aslan looked at her quietly and she reached up and clutched the necklace that had been given to her by Father Christmas so long ago. When her journey was finished, the necklace would see her safely home. "Anna, I am sorry for what has happened, but this . . . is the only way. I promise you, you will see them again."

"I know." Anna raised her head to look at him. "I promised him that he would never lose me . . . but I never prepared myself for losing him."

Aslan had no answer for this as he moved towards the door, the sadness evident in his face. When he was almost to it, he turned around to look at her again. "The giants will start their attack first," he said quietly. "Prepare your people as best you can for them, for this is only the first of the coming battles that will ravage our land."

Anna looked towards Aslan, wanting to say more, but he was already gone and she looked down at the broken glass, moving to clear it up. Her country was fragile, left in the hands a queen who had never planned a battle or led diplomacy. She and Peter had never discussed what would happen if she were left to defend it.

"I'll protect our kingdom, Peter," she whispered as she cleaned up the glass. She had to . . . otherwise Narnia was going to end up just like that figurine; only a broken remembrance of itself.


End file.
